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www.stortblinds.co.uk | Tel:01279 504121 Front cover: Stansted Mountfitchet Village Magazine Lower Street Christmas 2019 by Ray Woodcock enhanced by Paul Burt Photography www.stanstedlink.org.uk

The Link is published by Stansted Mountfitchet Magazine Community Interest Company and delivered free to nearly 3700 homes and businesses in Stansted. Further copies may be purchased for £1 each or £11.00 per year, plus postage. Each edition is also available on our website. If you do not receive your copy please email: [email protected] or telephone 813680

Editor Distribution Queries Directors Elizabeth Oakley David Horton Mike Dyer (Chairman) 01279 812690 01279 813680 Yvonne Ayres [email protected] [email protected] Susan Bone Catherine Dean Advertising Treasurer and Company Secretary Marion Dyer Mike and Marion Dyer Alan Wheeler Sarah Ludlow-Elston 01279 814059 01279 813745 Elizabeth Oakley [email protected] [email protected] Photographic Consultant Paul Burt

CONTENTS

Churches Christmas Services 13 Advertising Index to Advertisers 40 Stansted Family Church 14 Fundraising Recycle Ink, Stamps and Toothbrushes 3 Stansted Free Church 15 Salvation Army Appeal 3 Stansted Quaker Meeting 14 Shoeboxes 3 St John's 300 Club 14 Fun and Crossword 7 St John's Church 14 Games Crossword Answers 9 St Theresa's Catholic Church 14 Arthur Quiz 7 Thought for the Month 13 Arthur Quiz Answers 29 Christmas Choosing a real Christmas Tree 25 Health and Brain Training 19 Company at Christmas 2 Wellbeing Hearing Help Stansted Hub 9 Festive Wreath 5 Hypnotherapy and Weight Loss 17 Memories - The Choirmen's Supper 25 Let's talk Stansted! 19 Recycle your Christmas Tree 17 Local BS and District Footpaths 35 Victorian Christmas Cards 5 Roundup Gardens of Easton Lodge 35 Children and Daisy May's Farm 37 Hundred Parishes 29 Families Forest Hall School 36 Letter to the Editor - Crafton Green 9 Magna Carta School 37 Stansted Business Forum 31 Manuden Primary School 36 Stansted Windmill 11 Rainbow Pre-school 37 Stop Stansted Expansion 27 St Mary's Primary School 36 The People of Stansted Remember 15 Clubs and Directory of Clubs & Organisations 38 Features A Blanket on the Bench 33 Community Human Roots 17 Editorial 2 Huw Johnson Club 19 Meet Ken and Janice MacDonald 27 Mountfitchet Garden Club 11 Nature Notes 29 Stansted Day Centre 2 Random Jottings - Language 33 Stansted Evening WI 31 Random Jottings - Greetings and Food 35 Stansted U3A 31 The Link Team - David Horton 11 Stansted U3A Bookclub 31 Sports Stansted Bowls Club 39 Stort Valley Rotary 5 Stansted Cricket Club 39 Uttlesford Foodbank 9 Stansted Football Club 39 Local Council Stansted Network 20-23 Stansted Hall Cricket Club 39

CONTRIBUTIONS Up to 300 words in Word format. Photographs to be sent as separate attachments (jpeg). By email (preferred) to [email protected] by noon on 9th January for the February issue or by hand/post by noon on 7th January to 7 Blythwood Gardens, Stansted CM24 8HG. Note there is no January issue.

DISCLAIMER Opinions in The Link reflect those of the authors and contributors. Publication (on paper or electronically) of articles, advertisements or product/services information does not constitute endorsement by The Link nor is any culpability accepted for work undertaken by advertisers. EDITORIAL By the time you receive this issue of The Link, it is our sincerest hope that the second lockdown will be about to end, and we can turn our minds to Christmas and New Year. I must confess to being very sad when I look at our last December issue at the end of 2019, looking at the magical events which so many organisations held to commemorate Christmas, and realising that these cannot take place this year. However, we do have several lovely seasonal articles, with echoes of Christmas past from, for example, Keith Turner (p25) and Tony Wellings on p5. One important and recurring theme through many of the articles this month is that of mental health during this pandemic. Organisations like Let’s Talk Stansted! (p19) are doing so much good to alleviate this. The virus itself produces awful physical symptoms but what is less obvious is the effect on one’s mental wellbeing with all the restrictions that are in place, as well as those associated with long Covid - the long-term effects felt by those who have had the virus. Several articles prescribe a solution which works for many of us: getting as much fresh air and outdoor exercise as possible. Cold weather will not hurt us, so please do not let that put you off. There are so many lovely walking places surrounding the village, as described in the BSDFA article on page 35. Next year will be better; a more predictable and stable administration in the USA will help mend that fractured country. In addition, it seems that there is a successful vaccine on the horizon and it is hoped that we will be back to normal in the Spring of 2021. Meantime, we hope that your festive season will be as merry as possible. With the warmest of good wishes to all of you, take care.

3. Could you be a goody bag packer? • The items purchased by our shoppers need to be packed into individual bags ready for delivery • Would you be able to join a small team of volun- teers who will pack the goody bags? • We would also require a small team of volunteers to help arrange the bags for collection on Christmas Day morning or possibly the days leading up to Christmas Due to Covid-19, Company at Christmas will look dif- • This would be arranged in line with latest Covid-19 ferent this year. Instead of our usual Christmas Day safety protocols meal and festivities in the Bishop’s Stortford Methodist Church Hall, we will be delivering food and If you are interested in any of the roles above, please gifts to our guests who might otherwise be alone at email: [email protected]. There will be rd Christmas. This year there are three ways you can an online meeting to allocate roles on Thursday 3 help: December at 8.00pm. Details on how to join the meet- ing will be sent out by email tothose who register to 1. Could you be a Christmas Day Driver? volunteer. Thank you all very much. • We need volunteers to collect goody bags from a Lynda Dale central location and deliver them to homes in and Tel: 07716 099474 around Bishop’s Stortford on Christmas Day morn- ing or possibly the days leading up to Christmas • This will give the opportunity for a socially dis- tanced conversation on the doorstep with our guests, wishing them a Happy Christmas STANSTED DAY AND • You can decide how much time to offer. One drop- COMMUNITY CENTRE off may take up to 30 minutes but you are welcome to sign up to do more than one if you have time We were delighted to receive free meals from Cook’s Kind- • We would provide suitable instructions and PPE to ness Foundation for our Day Centre customers. Cook is in ensure helpers and guests are kept safe. North Street in Bishop’s Stortford. These will continue until the middle of December, so if any of our customers have 2. Could you be a pre-Christmas Shopper? not yet been offered one, please let me know. Whilst we • Could you help source and buy specific goods (all have been closed, the doors and windows in the Day Centre have been replaced by the Parish Council, for which we are costs reimbursed) for our goody bags? very grateful. We look forward to going back in to a smart, • This would involve being given a list of specific draught-free hall. items to purchase (eg 100 boxes of chocolates) and delivering them to a central location Catherine Dean Tel: 813579

2 SHOE BOXES BISHOP’S STORTFORD www.teams4u.com SALVATION ARMY Due to Covid-19 restrictions, packing boxes was very dif- CHRISTMAS PRESENT APPEAL ferent this year, as we were unable to have our usual Although unable to meet together during the pandemic, we number of volunteers helping. However, due to have still been actively trying to serve the needs of our commu- everyone’s generosity, we were able to send 218 boxes nity. In the March lockdown we helped Operation CommUNITY from Stansted destined for Romania and Belarus. coordinate volunteers to complete over 1,200 errands, such as supermarket shopping. Since then we have been approached to provide essential items for people who are struggling; carpets, appliances, children’s winter boots etc. Despite the challenges to fundraising, we have been blessed with enough finances to keep these things going and, in all things, we have hope! However, as we head towards Christmas we already know of families needing help. Every year we provide around 90 toy and food parcels to families living in Stortford and the wider area who are facing hardship. We hope to make this happen again, regardless of the implications of Covid-19, but we cannot do it without the help of our community.

Donated toys are harder to source but if you are able to help by purchasing an item, we are always grateful for new toys, books, crafts, chocolates and boxes of soap. Donations can be taken to the Bishop’s Stortford Independent Office, 12 North Street, marked for my attention. If you would rather make a financial contribution, donations can be sent to the above address Thanks to everyone who donated items, money, com- [cheques to ‘Bishop’s Stortford Salvation Army’] or we have a pleted boxes, to super-packer Brian and to Leila, who JustGiving page: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/stortford-eh- joined the packing team. We are also grateful for the toyappeal2020. many knitters of Stansted and Stortford who supply us with wonderful hats, scarves, gloves, bags, soft toys and £5 covers a soap box for a parent or teenager puppets. £10 buys stocking fillers for a child: book, craft and chocolate If anyone would like to try their hand at knitting bags for £15 a voucher for a teenager next year, we can supply a pattern. £20 a main present for a child £50 buys a Christmas dinner £150 provides Christmas for a family of 5: 2 soap box- es, 3 main gifts and stocking fillers, and a Christmas dinner.

For clarity or more information please contact me. We would love to hear from you. With many thanks. Captain Megan Kervin Tel: 507464 Email: [email protected]

RECYCLE INK, STAMPS AND TOOTHBRUSHES We are still collecting original (not remanufactured or own brand) ink cartridges, postage stamps, toothbrushes, electric ‘Love in a box’ is what it says on the teams4u boxes. toothbrush heads, and toothpaste tubes (please place dental There is a lot of love going from Stansted to children for items in a paper or plastic bag). If the churches where our col- whom this may be their only Christmas present. lecting boxes are situated are closed, you can leave items in the box outside the blue main door of the Free Church at the bot- tom of Chapel Hill. Alternatively please leave items in the porch Catherine Dean Tel: 813579 of 7 Blythwood Gardens. Please note that we do not take laser Eileen Quinn Tel: 812109 toner cartridges. Thank you. Helen Baker Tel: 814865 Marion and Mike Dyer Tel: 814059 Email: [email protected]

3 Why live with your aches and pains?

the osteopath the Hazel Williams is one of the few practitioners Jacolin Sheaf (Lampon) . . who specialises in both structural and cranial D O osteopathy to treat a wide range of patients from 4a Red Cottages, Cambridge Road, Quendon, babies to the elderly, from the immobile to athletes. Saffron Walden CB11 3XH (onsite parking) Her treatment can help with: back, neck, joint, arthritic and muscle pain, trapped nerves, sports injuries, Structural Osteopathy, Cranial Osteopathy. headaches and migraine. She also incorporates Treatment of back and neck pain, muscle and joint pain, acupuncture to aid pain relief and provides specially formulated pilates classes to help with rehabilitation. tension headaches, trapped nerves and sports injuries. Her aim is simple... to give you continual relief One-to-one Pilates instruction. from pain wherever possible. Specialist Clinic for pregnant mothers, To claim your free assessment consultation* babies and children. please call Hazel at her surgery on: 01279 813371 Tel: 01799 543444 61 Blythwood Gardens, Stansted, Essex. [email protected] Email:[email protected] www.hazel-williams.co.uk *Hazel Williams reserves the right to remove or change Web: www.quendonosteopathy.co.uk this offer at any time without prior notification.

STANSTED YOGA LOUNGE Back to Basics Pilates Class with LYNDSEY DOYLE Hazel Williams Registered Osteopath 7-8pm every Friday Vinyasa Yoga Teacher 9-10am every Saturday 8-9pm every Monday

• Regular Classes • Private Tuition At the Quaker Hall, Chapel Hill, Stansted Mountfitchet. To book one of the limited places available please call Tel 07970 022214 Hazel on: 01279 813371 or 07973 409675 or to find out more go to www.hazel-williams.co.uk Email: [email protected] Please wear loose clothing and bring an exercise mat.

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See our website for details www.stanstedlink.org.uk/advertising C J FITNESS Personal Trainer or call Marion & Mike on 814059 • One to one or small groups Email: [email protected] • Work on your fitness or weight loss • Home visits available • Indoors or outdoors Other sizes also available Please call 07950329462 Email: [email protected] 4 VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS Lockdown fundraiser Last month we reported our intention to help local charities Christmas cards first appeared in this country during the whose fundraising has been affected by the Coronavirus-19 1840s and evolved as printing processes and postal ser- restrictions. Our website has a link which invites contributions vices improved during the 19th century. to any of the three charities we wish to assist: Isabel Hospice, Coram Life Education and Build Aid. In due course, we may add others to this list, and if you have suggestions please get in touch. The donation page is embedded into our website and each of the charities can receive Gift Aid on donations. All donations go directly to the nominated charity. Our Club is a conduit for those wishing to help and does not touch any of the money donated. Look for the link and you can monitor how well our lockdown fundraiser is doing when you visit the site. Peter Latham Tel: 881607 Email: [email protected]

Greeting cards have much earlier origins in ancient FESTIVE WREATH Chinese and Egyptian civilisations when the wealthier classes sent greetings on paper or papyrus to welcome These are quick and simple to make using just natural materials the New Year. found in the garden or hedgerows, with no ugly bits of wire or plastic left behind when all the foliage has gone. It is so easy and all the family could get involved.

Pictured here are two cards from the late Victorian era.

Tony Wellings Tel:813614 Materials: Email: [email protected] 6-8 long strands of trailing ivy; about one metre in length is ideal for a wreath 26cms (10”) diameter. More pieces will be needed if shorter than a metre STORT VALLEY ROTARY Short stemmed sprigs of holly with berries, fir, seed heads www.stortvalleyrotary.com and any other decorative evergreen or variegated foliage and berries Challenging Lockdown Blues Wool or twine made from natural fibre for hanging up. Christmas 2020 will be unlike any other under Coronavi- rus-19 lockdown. Celebrations which would draw a Construction: crowd will not be permitted so the Club is putting With three of the longest strands of ivy, form a circle of together a programme of Christmas themed videos. We the required diameter, overlapping the ends at the join have a number of choirs, bands and local schools enthu- and wrapping round to secure siastic about taking part. The show will be accessible on Using one piece of ivy at a time, wind around the formed our YouTube channel. Hopefully the show will replace ring, tucking in the ends until the structure is firm and some of the worst lockdown blues with some much- dense enough to hold the decorative sprigs needed Christmas cheer. We are hoping Santa will put Push the stems of the sprigs into the layers of ivy and in an appearance and, although he may not be able to arrange as many or few as you like around the wreath meet children in person this Christmas, we are sure he Attach a loop of wool/twine if required. will have a message for all his fans. Yvonne Ayres

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6 FUN AND GAMES PUZZLE TIME

Compiled by Roger Wardle. Answers on page 9 ACROSS ARTHUR QUIZ 1 Price of reinforcements when whispered 1. The chief clerk at the bank of Walmington-on-Sea down the line! (5 & 9) 2. ….and who played the manager? 7 Like crimson or vermillion, say (7) 3. What was the profession of Arthur Ashe? 9 Sore throats? Whip them out (7) 4. Who played Arthur Fowler in East Enders? 10 Small change in old money, like 1 across 5. First name of Harpo Marx was Arthur. How did his (9 & 5) performances always differ from his brothers’? 12 The Blades, rivals to Wednesday (9,6) 6. Which Arthur Miller play centres on the character Willy 17 A bit of coffee or gravy freeze dried (7) Lomax? 18 Fuller, as tea in a full cup (7) 7. Who did Arthur Tudor marry in 1501? 19 An old fashioned hair cut (5,4 & 5) 8. Arthur Dent’s companion in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 9. The family name of Arthur, 1st Duke of Wellington DOWN 10. Whose first novel was A Study in Scarlet? 11. Sir Arthur Sullivan’s most famous collaborator 1 Technical words and symbols (5 & 5) 12. Which Arthur is regarded as the best British book 2 Lines from centre circle to rim. 5 illustrator of the early 20th century? 3 Eve's apple was ripe and fit for consumption! 13. The political party founded by Arthur Scargill in 1996 (6,5) 14. Of whom was it first said “Bob’s your uncle”? 4 Writing implements (3 & 7) 15. Bespectacled comedian who looked on his audiences as 5 Scottish chef might hail from here (5) playmates 6 Wartime Walters sister act (5 & 5) 16. Which one of Les Six wrote the orchestral work Pacific 8 Egg provider (3) 231? 9 Is it? ('3) 17. Owner of Tintagel Castle, where King Arthur, legend has it, Was conceived 11 Hair stiffener (3) 18. Chronicler and best friend of Hercules Poirot 13 One of the muses (5) 19. Things to Come was a 1936 film from an H. G. Wells 14 Sight organ (3) story. Who wrote the famous music score? 15 Record sound over picture (3) 20. One half of the Mrs Robinson duo 16 Against the clock (5) Compiled by Cliff Gilbert. Answers on page 29

7 8 LETTER TO THE EDITOR Demolished for Car Parking? Have your say!

Crafton Green House was bought with public money in www.hearinghelpessex.org.uk 1979, and the Parish Council took ownership of it in 1988. Since that time the mix of spaces it provides have been to Stansted Hub keeps going throughout lockdown benefit the Stansted community, most recently as a clinic We are pleased to announce that our Hearing Aid Support and the former council offices. The barely-publicised pub- Service will continue to operate in Stansted throughout lic consultation on its future, which ends on 30th December and January. We have worked hard to resume our November, provides a limited range of unrealistic options, services in a safe and socially distanced environment to sup- quotes with artificially-inflated costs and is written to sug- port the many people who have acquired hearing loss and gest that demolition is the only viable choice. This is wear NHS hearing aids. The cleaning and re-tubing of NHS hardly surprising since the councillors who wrote the con- hearing aids will be offered to clients on the second Tuesday sultation document strongly favour the demolition plan. of each month in our temporary location at The Free Church Hall, Chapel Hill. This may become more frequent, depending on demand. For those who are housebound or shielding, a doorstep service will also be available. Due to social distancing measures, all appointments must be booked in advance and we cannot accept walk ins. We are delighted to be able to continue doing what we do best and are hugely grateful to our volunteers, and the team at the Stansted Free Church for making this possible. It is important for hearing aids to be re-tubed and cleaned every 4-6 months to ensure best effi- ciency and benefit to wearers. For an appointment please call 01245 496347, text: 07950 406173 or email: [email protected]. We also provide an informa- tion, advice, and guidance service to people across Essex living At the time of writing only a small paragraph about the with hearing loss, and this service is currently being delivered consultation has appeared in The Link (November) and from our Resource Centre in central Chelmsford, in person, or one Facebook post has been posted on Stansted Facebook by phone, video call, text message or email. groups. Neither notice makes any reference to demolition Sophie Ede as an option, so most residents will assume that the con- Chief Executive Officer sultation relates to who gets to use the building in the future, not whether it ceases to exist! As most residents will be happy for the building to be used for the benefit of the community, without having one specific use in mind, few people are likely to respond, because it has not been made clear that the very existence of this building is at www.uttlesford.foodbank.org.uk stake. Following the closure of Stansted Foodbank, Uttlesford This building could house all sorts of useful services and Foodbank has stepped in to ensure continuous coverage of activities for the community, or a local appointments- Stansted and the surrounding villages so that residents within based business (physio, counselling, beauticians etc) and if our community in crisis can be guaranteed to receive food and let on a repairs in lieu of rent basis, could be saved for essentials when they most need them. If you are in need residents’ benefit without any public money being spent. please call the Citizens Advice Bureau on 01799 618840 and Whether you think that demolishing it for a few extra they will put a referral through for you. We can take referrals parking spaces is a good idea, or a shameful waste of a from anyone working with people in need via the Frontline public amenity, please make your voice heard by respond- website: www.uttlesfordfrontline.org.uk. We are very happy ing to the Parish Council Consultation at that the Co-op has agreed to keep a collection basket on dis- www.stansted.net. play for us and we will be talking to other local businesses Ros Page about possible ways they can support us in the forthcoming Tel: 818083 months. For updated information please see our website or follow us on Facebook CROSSWORD ANSWERS www.facebook.com/uttlesfordfoodbank. We have a dedicated email address for anything related to Across Stansted (see below). During Covid-19 we are delivering all 1. Three & Fourpence 7. Reddish 9. Tonsils our food parcels but in the future we hope to have a perma- 10. Shillings & pence 12. Sheffield United 17. Granule nent base in Stansted for clients to visit and receive support, 18. Brimmer 19. Short back & sides as we do in Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow. We would like to extend our thanks to Catherine Dean and the Foodbank Down team for such a smooth transition. 1. Terms & signs 2. Radii 3. Edible fruit 4. Pen & pencils Claire Sykes 5. Nairn 6. Elsie & Doris 8. Hen 9. 'Tis 11. Gel Email: [email protected] 13. Erato 14. Eye 15. Dub 16. Timed Tel: 07531 436335

9 Stansted Psychotherapy Hypnotherapy and CBT Counselling • Psychotherapy • Coaching Glynis Cheers MA, CIPD, DPM, BSCH,Diploma Clinical Hypnosis Siân Lloyd MA MBA Dip.NLPt UKCP Registered Psychotherapist & Clinical Supervisor One session help with smoking therapy (plus support) Weight ~ Gastric Band ~ Confidence ~ Exams Health Insurance Registered Provider Phobias ~ Anxiety ~ OCDs ~ School Video & Phone Consultations also available Hypnobirthing ~ Irritable Bowel Syndrome ~ Past Lives Phone: 07966 195385 and much more Email: [email protected] 01279 812165 Email: [email protected]

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Stansted Mountfitchet Social Club Your Friendly Community Hub! Live Music Nights Bingo - Tuesdays @ 8pm BT Sport Golf Society Bishop’s Stortford Darts, Snooker & Pool Superb Juke Box Orthotics Great Selection of Drinks Diabetic Foot Care Fantastic Prices Routine Treatment A warm welcome awaits you! Saturday Appointments Membership just £20 per year (plus initial £5 administration payment) Pop in for a form or visit 16 Hockerill Street, Bishop’s Stortford www.smsc.uk.com Come and relax in our friendly atmosphere! 01279 652249 [email protected] Tel 01279 812992 www.feet.org.uk 10 MEET THE TEAM Dave Horton

www.mountfitchetgardenclub.co.uk I have been a member of The Link team since 2014 and I am responsible for any distribution queries. Additionally, I What a strange year 2020 has turned out to be; since March deliver some Links to organisations and deal with postal our gardens and taking care of them has been a vital source copies. I was born and raised in Essex and in 1992 my wife of solace to many. Over the spring and summer months gar- and I chose to settle in Stansted where we have raised our dens have been tended, flower borders have burst with two children. colourful plants and shrubs, and those growing vegetables for the first time are enjoying home grown bounty. Country My hobbies and interests are rooted in my childhood, and walks have become popular, with the many footpaths and include astronomy, running and music. My interest in unspoilt vistas around the village being enjoyed by both old astronomy was prompted by the purchase of a telescope and young walkers. The garden has become an extra room when I was 11 and it was from this age that I looked for- outside, a place to sit, play and enjoy life. Since the clocks ward to the 1999 total eclipse of the sun - only 30+ years changed, the days are becoming shorter and the temperature to wait! I have been fortunate to be able to stargaze is dropping as the winter months approach, so now is the across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and time to put many tender plants and shrubs to bed. If you within the Arctic Circle. To my wife’s chagrin I will get up have an empty shed or greenhouse, pots with tender plants at any time of night to view what I consider to be interest- or shrubs can be moved inside. Alternatively they can be ing astronomical events. As I write this, I have spent part wrapped in fleece or bubble wrap to give them extra protec- of the last three nights watching a meteor shower. The tion. Unlike the first lockdown, the garden centres can Geminids, another meteor shower, has its maximum rate remain open this time, so there is still time to buy bulbs to of shooting stars during the night of 13th-14th December so plant in pots to give you a blast of welcome colour in the if it is clear, look up at the sky. spring. It is also a good idea to give shrubs and flower bor- ders a mulch with compost (home-made or purchased). This will help to give protection to the border plants from adverse weather and improve the fertility and health of the soil. The RHS has advised that the garden at Hyde Hall is open if you fancy a trip out, but remember to book your entry time via the internet.

As 2020 starts to draw to an end, The Mountfitchet Garden Club would like to wish all Link readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year and 2021. Maralyn Harris Tel: 07919 478144 STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET The photograph shows me demonstrating how to view the WINDMILL transit of Venus without looking directly at the sky. The large circle is a projected image of the sun (the only safe www.stanstedwindmill.co.uk way to view it) and I am pointing to Venus. I suspect, like me, you will be pleased to see the back of horribilis coronavirus 2020 which has affected everyone. Like I enjoy all genres of music from classical to heavy rock. I all charities we have found it difficult to raise funds this year particularly like music of the 60s including my favourite as we have not been allowed to open the mill and present our band, the Beatles. As a teenager throughout the 1970s (in usual events. We always need help, of course, and would wel- my opinion the best decade for music) I attended many come some more stewards for open days and also some help concerts locally and nationally and Live Aid in 1985. I am with our coffee mornings. If you are interested and can spare not a musician; however, during lockdown my wife has a couple of hours please give me a ring. I would like to take been teaching me to play the piano. Apologies to the neighbours! this opportunity to thank Richard, our Treasurer, who put in many hours at the mill during the last couple of months, over- My interest in running began in the early 70s at senior seeing all the repairs and improvements that were carried school where I did middle to long distance running on out, ably assisted by other millers. I would also like to thank track, country and road. I remember running in an early the person who recently donated 100 crocus bulbs to the Stansted Fun Run in the late 1980s and the first London windmill and to Trevor and Neil for planting them. I am sure Marathon. they will help to brighten up the grounds around the mill in the spring. I hope we can all enjoy Christmas and look for- My working life has mainly been in engineering, and I ward to a virus free 2021. Stay safe and stay well. became a steward at our village windmill in 1996, moti- Molly Clark vated by my interest in its workings. Some of you may Co-trustee have met me distributing Christian Aid envelopes, wind- Tel: 816768 mill letters or at my church, St Theresa’s.

11 Outstanding tuition for children in HOWE GREEN * MELODY BEAR introductory dance classes HOUSE SCHOOL for pre-school children age rising 2-3 years * NURSERY BALLET for children age 3-4 years and Independent * Royal Academy BALLET, plus Introductory Co-ed Prep MODERN DANCE for children age 4-7 years School Classes held at MOUNTFITCHET ROMEERA for 4 to 11 years & LEISURE CENTRE, STANSTED on MONDAYS Little Oaks Classes also at our 6-studio premises in Bishop’s Stortford, & Nursery School other local venues for 2 to 4 years For further details & a free prospectus: E: [email protected] T: 01279 654423 www.grahamschoolofdance.co.uk www.howegreen houseschool.co.uk Tel: 01279 657706

The Peter Kirk Centre TUITION St John’s Road, Stansted CM24 8JP www.rainbowpreschool-stansted.co.uk We welcome Children aged 2½ to rising 5s I have many years of experience, teaching throughout the Experienced Friendly Staff primary age range (4-11 years) and as a school SENCO ‘Children show extremely high levels of confidence and self esteem’. Please call me to discuss your child’s needs ‘Children are making outstanding progress, securing the skills they need for their future learning and move onto school’ (OFSTED) Katy Dockerill Please call Tel 01279 812997 01279 814242 or 07966 506997

Felicity Hamilton BMus (Hons) LRAM Singing Teacher Friendly, rural preschool in the grounds of I offer expert technical training in all styles, in a fun and relaxed Birchanger Primary School with experienced staff setting, to students of any age or level of experience. Based in Weekly Forest School session available Stansted, I would love to hear from you. Tel: 07833 363337 Limited Spaces available for both 15 and 30 hours [email protected] www.felicityhamilton.co.uk Children welcome from age 2 to rising 5 “An inspired teacher with a gift for communicating her Visitors welcome, please call 01279 810800 love of singing and all that it can bring … I could not www.birchangerbutterflies.org.uk recommend her more highly” – parent of a pupil Previously known as Birchanger Nursery

PIANO (Classical & Jazz) VIOLIN and SINGING Sewing Classes LESSONS in MANUDEN All ages & abilities welcome - beginners to diploma ABRSM Grade Exams prepared for Tuition outside school hours so no vital lessons missed JAMES PRIEST BMus, MMus in Performance TCML To discuss individual requirements tel 01279 647050 www.teachmetosew.co.uk

Company Branding : Workwear : Uniforms Sports Wear : Personalised Gifts 01279 897070 www.chogou.co.uk Chapel Hill, Stansted 12 THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH

I am sure that many of us will have asked ourselves the question at some point over the past few weeks - how will we celebrate Christmas this year? Those of us with responsibility for worship in churches will have also asked further questions in regards to our services. What services can we offer, how many people can we safely accommodate at each service, can we sing carols? As I write this thought for the month at the beginning of November at the start of the second lockdown we have had to endure as a nation, these questions go unanswered. It is not immediately clear if we will come out of lockdown on 2nd December, and if we do, what restrictions will be placed on us in regard to public worship.

So, should we all just give it up as a bad job this year? Well no! Despite the headlines to the contrary, Christmas is not cancelled. We may be restricted in our method of celebrating the event that changed the world some two thousand years ago, but we cannot, indeed, we must not leave this world-changing event uncelebrated. The first Christmas went uncelebrated by the vast majority of humanity, happening in a small, insignificant Palestinian village in Judea, a small, insignificant part of the vast and mighty Roman Empire. This first Christmas was celebrated by Mary and Joseph, and a group of shepherds from the nearby fields. They celebrated this world-changing event when every- one around them got on with daily life. We too, with our knowledge of this world-changing event, are called to celebrate even if the rest of the world is getting on with life as the best they can.

This joyous news is worthy of our celebration. So, from the community of St Theresa of Lisieux we wish you, your families and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Fr Lee Bennett

These services are subject to churches being able to open for worship. See individual church entries for online details.

St John’s Free Church Sunday 20th December Sunday 20th December 9.30am Holy Communion in church and on Zoom 10.30am Rev’d Charles Martin 6.00pm Nine Lessons and Carols on Zoom. Joint service Alternative service on Zoom Stansted and Takeley Benefices. See Facebook page for Evening Carol Service on Zoom (time to be confirmed) login Christmas Day Friday 25th December Christmas Eve Thursday 24th December 10.30am Rev’d Christine Fowler 3.00pm Children's Christmas Eve Service on Zoom Alternative service on Zoom Please see our Facebook page for login details 11.30pm Midnight Mass in St John’s Church and on Zoom Sunday 27th December No service Christmas Day Friday 25th December 9.30am Family Communion at Farnham Church St Theresa’s (no service at St John’s) Sunday 20th December Usual masses Sunday 27h December 9.30am Holy Communion for the Feast of St John in Christmas Eve Thursday 24th December church and on Zoom 4.00pm and 7.00pm Mass Must be booked in advance Friends Sunday 20th December Christmas Day Friday 25th December 10.30am Special Christmas Meeting for Worship 8.30am and 10.00am Mass Must be booked in advance Sunday 27th December 10.30am Meeting for Worship Sunday 27th December Usual masses

13 ST JOHN’S 300 CLUB Many congratulations to the winners of the October draw:

£100 No 190 T J Bryant All enquiries The Church Office, St John's Hall, £50 No 216 Paul Tarran Including Church St John's Road, Stansted CM24 8JP £25 No 251 C Henderson Hall bookings Tel: 815243 (with answerphone) Email: [email protected] The draw for December will be held on 27th December and Website: www.stanstedstjohns.btck.co.uk the draw for January will be held on 31st January either in St John's Church or from my home, in the presence of the Rector Vacant online congregation, following the 9.30am service. Numbers Assistant Rev'd Helen Flack at £2 each month are still available for anyone who may Curate Email: [email protected] wish to join the Club and be in with a chance of winning one of the 38 prizes totalling £2,500 given away each year. The Pastoral Kathryn West Club raises vital money to help cover the heavy maintenance Assistant Email: [email protected] costs and work of St John's Church.

Director of Anne Brooks Jean Newson Music Email: [email protected] Tel: 819062

Sundays Service at 9.30am At the time of writing, churches have been closed for con- gregational worship and all services are being broadcast though Zoom. See our website for details of when services will resume in the church. However, the church is still open Contact: Howard and Ros Page for private prayer on Wednesdays 9.00am-1.00pm. Morning Tel:810813 Prayer through Zoom is on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Email: [email protected] Thursday and Saturday at 9.00am. See our website for log in details. Our Christian beliefs are conventional, we are just doing church differently. St John’s Giving The Coronavirus pandemic and the resulting restrictions We continue to meet on Tuesday evenings and Sundays have resulted in a much-reduced income to our Church and using a combination of in-person and online meetings, all in Church Hall, both of which are much used by the community accordance with Government guidance. As rules are subject for activities and events. The costs, though, of maintaining to both local and national changes, at relatively short notice, the buildings and keeping the flag flying proud over the please email or ring us for the latest updates on what is run- church and memorial gardens remain largely unchanged. ning and how best to access it. If you have a prayer-request, For the duration of the first national lockdown, services please contact us. If you are looking for Christians with a were held virtually with no congregation in church, so no contemporary outlook, a desire to grow in our faith, and a weekly cash collections were possible. Our traditional vision to benefit our community, why not get in touch? Christmas Market, which usually raises around £3,000 Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a New Year full of towards the upkeep, could not take place; St John’s Hall has hope and peace. also been closed, meaning that lettings income is lost. Ros and Howard Page

With Christmas, the season of good will, almost upon us, we would ask you this year to consider including a gift to St John’s Church, to help us in these challenging times. If you THE RELIGIOUS are able to make a donation, no matter how large or small, please send a cheque payable to Stansted Parochial Church SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS) Council to The Church Office, St John’s Road, Stansted CM24 Quaker Meeting House, 71 Chapel Hill 8JP. Alternatively, you can make an online payment to Stansted CM24 8AE Barclays Bank, Sort code 20-36-98 account Stansted www.stansted.quakermeeting.org Parochial Church Council, number 60839922. Although this Clerk and Jane Mitchell year will undoubtedly be different, may we, on behalf of Lettings Tel: 503024 everyone at St John’s, wish you a holy, blessed and a very happy Christmas. Email: [email protected] Alan Corbishley and Malcolm Lloyd Parish Giving Officers Sunday Worship at 10.30am Meetings will resume in the church in December if restric- tions are lifted.

There were no entries in the Registers in October

14 STANSTED FREE CHURCH ROMAN CATHOLIC Methodist / URC St Therese of Lisieu Chapel Hill High Lane, Stansted CM24 8LQ www.stanstedfreechurch.org.uk www.sttheresastansted.org Priest Father Lee Bennett Minister Rev’d Roy Fowler Tel: 814349 Tel: 814809 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Parish Rev’d Deacon Des Connors Lettings Marion and Mike Dyer Deacon Tel: 07748 464101 Tel: 814059 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Masses Sunday worship in the church at 10.30am Saturday 5.00pm Confessions 6.00pm Mass Services will resume in the church if restrictions are lifted but Sunday 8.30am and 10.00am Mass Zoom services will continue on Sundays at 10.30am anyway. 9.15am Confessions 12.00pm *Latin Mass (Extraordinary Preachers for December Form) 6th Rev’d Stuart Veitch (*First Sunday of every month) 13th Rev’d Roy Fowler Monday 9.00am Confessions 9.30am Mass 20th Rev’d Charles Martin Tuesday 7.15am Confessions 25th Rev’d Christine Fowler – Christmas Day 8.00pm Latin Mass (Extraordinary 27th No Service Form) Wednesday Noon Confessions 12.30pm Mass Preachers for January Thursday/Friday 9.00am Confessions 9.30am Mass 3rd Denis Walker 10th Rev’d Gill Hulme Baptism By appointment 17th Tina Wilson 24th Rev’d Roy Fowler If current restrictions are lifted in early December, our 31st Rev’d David Tatum masses will resume in the church, otherwise they will be on YouTube only. The church hall is available for regular and one-off bookings of permitted activities which fall within the Government’s guide- Livestream Mass lines. Please contact me for further information. We livestream our Masses via our YouTube channel; the link can be found Marion Dyer www.sttheresastansted.org/live-mass. Tel: 814059 Website and Facebook Page THE PEOPLE OF STANSTED REMEMBER Our website and Facebook page are updated on a regular basis, along with our weekly Newsletter, so At 11.00am on Wednesday 11th November around 20 people please remember to take a look every now and then. gathered at the War Memorial to remember the fallen and the Facebook: www.facebook.com/StTheresaStansted. 100 years since the body of the Unknown Warrior was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. Christmas Masses Christmas Eve: 4.00pm and 7.00pm Christmas Day: 8.30am and 10.00am

These masses need to be booked in advance and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Numbers will be limited to maintain social distancing. Booking is open for everyone from 1st-23rd December, and places can be booked via our website or by calling 816889. See our website and Facebook page for updates.

Clair Rava Photo by Carolyn George Parish Administrator Tel: 816889 It was lovely to see more people than usual including a mother Email: [email protected] with her 14 week old baby and a man with a toddler - it is so im- portant for young people to carry on these traditions. Thank you to Brian Quinn for leading the two minute silence and reciting the Exhortation and Kohima, and to Tony and Lesley Graver for the beautiful flowers which were greatly appreciated.

15 This could be YOUR ad here www.manudencommunitycentre.co.uk Only £180 for 9 issues Other sizes available Available for Hire Stunning New Fully Licensed Venue See www.stanstedlink.org.uk/advertising Fundraisers Meetings Celebrations or call Marion & Mike on 814059 Special Offer Children’s Parties £60 Email: [email protected] Licensed for Civil Weddings and Receptions Stansted Quaker Meeting House Floodlit Astro 71 Chapel Hill, Stansted CM24 8AE Available for hire on a regular basis for classes, See website for events, classes and clubs including clubs and organisations Pilates Yoga Flexible Strength One hall with access to a smaller room and kitchen for Circuit Training Bounce Short Mat Bowls making drinks, peaceful garden, piano, screen, hearing loop, accessible toilet and ramp Owlets Playgroup Public parking opposite. Competitive rates For more information please contact Please contact Jane Mitchell Chris 01279 817111 [email protected] Tel: 01279 503024 Email: [email protected]

ST JOHN’S CHURCH HALL STANSTED FREE CHURCH HALL Available for Hire Chapel Hill CM24 8AG Large hall available on a regular basis One-off or regular daytime and evening hire or for one-off parties and other events available for activities permitted under Fully fitted kitchen • Competitive prices current Government Coronavirus regulations Central village location with some parking on site Covid Secure • Comfortable • Fully Carpeted • Free Parking Please contact the church office on 01279 815243 Please call Marion Dyer on 01279 814059 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

www.ugleyvillage.org.uk With two halls, ample parking, facilities for the disabled and competitive rates, Ugley Village Hall on the B1383 (Cambridge Road), is available for hire throughout the year for children’s parties, adult parties (over 25s), functions, clubs, classes and social meetings. For bookings or further information please contact Susan Bone Tel: 01279 814052 Email:[email protected]

~ I CAN SOLVE YOUR PET CARE PROBLEMS ~ Dog Walking & Domestic Pet Care

Prices, Services & References available online at www.debsdogs.co.uk Sleep Overs Home Visits / Vet Visits Call me for a chat Deborah Hibbert M: 07842 125503 H: 01279 647309 Everyday Care from Someone Local You Can Trust! 16 RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

Date not available yet so please call 01799 510456 or email [email protected]. www.humanrootscommunity.org.uk HYPNOTHERAPY AND WEIGHT LOSS www.whyweighthypnotherapy.com Mental Health and why it is important to Garden My love of gardening started many years ago. It seems like a If you are thinking about weight loss, it is time to think dif- lifetime away now. Some people may see me as being ferently! young, light-hearted and a bit of a joker but things have not always been that way. Growing up had its challenges. We all know how hard it can be to lose weight and keep it off, but specialised hypnotherapy can make all the dif- I grew up in a single-parent household in South Africa with ference, enabling lifestyle changes which can last a lifetime. an absent father. With no safety net, my mom struggled and Surrounded by centuries of unjustified mystique, hypno- did her best but we did not have much money. A number of therapy is just a way of pleasantly relaxing the conscious events happened in my adolescence which culminated in a mind; then we can access the subconscious mind. In doing personal crisis for me and I fell in with a bad crowd. These so, we can then challenge its subliminal messages. times were tough and often left me with feelings of hope- lessness, hunger and feeling forgotten which then led onto We store messages in our subconscious from the moment feelings of isolation, low self-esteem and depression. we are born, maybe even before. Some are beneficial to us. For example, we instinctively know that touching fire Gardening and cooking afforded me positive emotions of will cause us harm. Some can work against us, for example, being in control and a strong sense of empowerment. eating the cake will bring me comfort or not eating that Through these activities I could have the space to think cake would be wasteful. Hypnotherapy can literally change about my lived experience and recognise that I have the way we think and feel about food and exercise and thus endured. I have survived. I have thrived. bring to an end that familiar boom/bust diet cycle. No voo- doo or magic!

Everyone experiences hypnotherapy differently. Some enter a deep sleep; others remain very aware. Everyone has total control of the process and can stop at any time. Nobody can be made to do anything that they do not want to do. It has never been more important to be fit and healthy.

As an experienced weight loss coach and an accredited hypnotherapist, I offer a range of weight management ser- vices from my practice near Saffron Walden. Whether you choose a one-to-one course, a socially distanced group ses- sion or even a hypno-gastric band, you can be assured of a confidential, empathetic and professional service. I started Human Roots Community (HRC) because I saw Call me for a chat or visit my website. What have you got to what gardening gave back to me and how it and I could help lose? What have you got to gain? others. HRC aims to help those less fortunate as well as pro- Joanna Ranson vide a safe caring environment for people to improve their Tel: 07788 614880 physical and mental wellbeing.

HRC and my core values are rooted in the positive elements of garden education, community cohesion and food sharing. If you want to join in the journey, we are waiting for you.

Keiran Olivier Tel: 07946 783039 Email: [email protected]

Correction Please note that the email address for Keiran was incorrectly spelt as Kieran in the last issue of The Link. Our sincere apologies for this.

17 ARNET AYRE GO-JO Quality Cleaning Hair & Beauty ANITY AYRE Domestic & Office 28 Years’ Experience Your Friendly Local Salon Cleaning Est 1991 01799 543066 Please telephone: Hair 01279 813087 Beauty 01279 813180 07828 425944 32A Lower Street, Stansted [email protected] Closed on Mondays

£5 MOBILE HAIRDRESSING & MADE TO MEASURE CURTAINS AND BLINDS Discount for new clients GEL NAIL TECHNICIAN Good Value & Luxury Brands of Fabrics on £25 or more Vidal Sassoon Academy Trained Bespoke Furnishings Prices from: Cut & Style £25 Re-growth Tint £30 Service Wet Cut £20 Roots, Lengths & Ends £40 Restyle £30 Full Head Highlights £55 Please call Neil on Blow Dry £20 Half Head Highlights £40 Hair Up £30 T-Section Highlights £30 07714 709059 Toner £15 Gel nails £20 or £15 with another service Email: [email protected] Abby May Briggs Hairdressing 07956 160495 www.neilsmithinteriors.com

18 BRAIN TRAINING www.clareharding.com

Improve your Balance. Good balance is vital at all ages. The better your balance, www.stanstedmentalhealth.org the less likelihood of falling when elderly, the harder you can hit or kick a ball and the faster you will run. Practising Mental health is a concern everywhere and Stansted is no balance will improve balance, but if your balance organs are exception. One in four people experience some form of not level, just practising balance will not cure it. We have mental health problem each year, ranging from anxiety and two balance organs, one set in each ear. We should be able stress, to behavioural issues, dependency, depression and to stand on either leg with eyes shut and wave our arms suicidal thinking. Our goal with Let’s Talk, Stansted! is to about quite happily if those organs are in equilibrium. encourage everyone to talk more, share the burdens we are To start to cure balance, we must work out which side all facing at this challenging time, and support those who needs attention. The simplest test is to stand on one leg need help. The project is moving forwards rapidly, and we and if that is easy, shut your eyes. If still easy, wave your have over 100 volunteers (more are welcome, just register arms about or move your head. Try the other leg and use through the website). We have set up the initiative as a not- the wobblier leg to retest. On both feet, turn round 1-3 for-profit Community Interest Company and have started times on the spot; it is wise to go slowly if you know your fundraising. Sixteen volunteers are being trained as Mental balance is poor. Wait until any spinning stops, then retest Health First Aiders, courtesy of West Essex MIND, and they your balance as above. Now turn round the other way, then will soon be able to work in the community, with further retest. Turning one way will have improved things, turning training programmes to follow. the other will have made things worse. Please do not think Ideas in the planning stages include a regular walking group, poor balance is a failure! men’s and women’s sheds, Zoom meetings and a regular quiz night. We are also here to offer advice and support to other community groups. To raise awareness, we have teamed up with Magna Carta Primary Academy to run a Christmas illustration competition. The winning designs have been printed onto cards which will be dropping through your letterboxes soon. This month’s tip to improve your mental health: Get outside more! Often the stress and anxiety that builds up can be released by a walk in the open air, alone or with another person. You will feel invigorated. As I write, we are in lockdown and walking is one of the few activities allowed. The Christmas and New Year period is stressful enough in good times, but this year we are all feel- ing the weight of this terrible pandemic. Please be mindful You can also do it whilst sitting on a chair that can spin: this of your own mental health, be gentle with those around is both more advanced and a regression. Spin it very fast if you, and reach out to us for support and a listening ear. Our you are young and daft; turn very slowly, possibly with your email address is below, or join us on Facebook at eyes shut and in quarter turns if balance has become a www.facebook.com/groups/letstalkstansted. serious challenge. Only turn the way that helps. Do not turn in the opposite direction to balance things out, that Richard Haywood makes the exercise pointless. Yes, alcohol makes balance Email: [email protected] utterly rubbish, but by another mechanism, which is the subject of a small book. HUW JOHNSON CLUB Clare Harding Z-Health Master Practitioner Sadly the Huw Johnson Club has not been able to operate Tel: 07802 872919 since March due to the Covid-restrictions. Like many, we are missing being able to meet up with our fellow members and helpers, although we have been trying to keep in touch through phone calls. We have missed out on panto trips, carol services, birthday parties and pub trips, but we are determined that 2021 will be better than ever for our Club as we head into our 47th year! We are, as ever, humbled by the support the local community has shown us over the past year, despite all the challenges everyone is facing. On behalf of us all at the Club, we would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happier and healthier 2021. Stay safe and keep well xx Katharine Collis Tel: 07759 157620 Email: [email protected]

19 Stansted Network NEWS FROM YOUR LOCAL COUNCILS

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY • A flawed Public Consultation process carried out during the ‘lockdown’ period. This required a Having arranged a socially-distanced, by invitation only response within a very limited time and mandat- commemoration service - in line with the Covid-19 rules in ing internet access – itself unavailable to many place at the time and advice from the Royal British Legion, of our senior citizens as evidenced by their re- Uttlesford District Council and Essex Police - we were then quest for hard data information since the sub- thwarted by the new lockdown. With so many mixed mission of the planning application. messages coming through about whether or not this • A 3-4 year construction period, when construc- event could proceed, we took the decision to cancel the tion traffic will pass through an established resi- official event and invited our local organisations to lay dential community of the Hargrave Estate their wreaths at designated times on Sunday 8 November. including past Bentfield Primary School • Once constructed additional traffic from 168 houses through the Hargrave Estate and the Bentfield Green Conservation Area increasing the traffic chaos that happens on Cambridge Road outside the Tesco supermarket and placing further pressure on the strategic highway net- work • The change in landscape character from rural countryside to housing development. We will no longer live on the edge of the countryside but in the middle of a massive housing estate Photo by Ray Woodcock • The loss of trees and hedgerows for highway works, utilities and house construction. The ar- Rev’d Paul Wilkin performed a very short commemoration boricultural consultant’s assessment is incom- (see photograph) reading the names of the fallen along plete and some vegetation has not been with the Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph and observing assessed the two-minute silence at the War Memorial. • The loss of habitat and the impact on biodiver- sity along Pennington Lane. The ecological im- OBJECTION TO DEVELOPMENT ON LAND WEST OF pact assessment is incomplete as the breeding PENNINGTON LANE bird survey, bat survey and great crested newt survey were not carried out in the spring of 2020 The Parish Council is not averse to housing development. • The likely further despoliation of the character We recognise that Uttlesford District Council does not of a historic geographical feature – Pennington have a five-year housing land supply and neither does it Lane have a Local Plan. For these reasons, and along with many other communities, we are open to speculative de- • The lack of recognition that Pennington Lane is a velopment proposals and need to look to the National designated heritage asset, a major recreational Planning Policy Framework (2019) for protection. The resource, green corridor and gateway to the vil- NPPF states that there will be a “presumption in favour of lage sustainable development unless any adverse impacts of • The changes in visual amenity. The loss of vege- doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh tation and habitat, the realignment of Penning- the benefits when assessed against the policies in the ton Lane and the change in views from Framework taken as a whole”. With regard to the Bloor countryside to residential will all adversely Homes’ application to build on land west of Pennington change the quality of views Lane, we do not consider this to be sustainable develop- • The lack of information regarding the upgrading ment and it should be refused for reasons including: of the foul sewer connecting to a manhole in the garden of no. 13 Long Croft and passing through • The unsustainable location of the development, a numerous private gardens and onward to the reason given for dismissal by the Inspector at the existing pumping station in the south of the Par- previous application for development in 2013 ish

20 • The possibility that it may be more economic to The main access to this site will be through the B1051. construct a new foul sewer through Bentfield This flows through Elsenham Road and Grove Hill, emerg- Green, to Bentfield Bower and along Lime Kiln ing into Lower Street, Stansted. This is the most direct Lane as was proposed in the previous application route into Bishop’s Stortford and also the most direct • The lack of detail regarding the ultimate surface route to access the M11. I have lived in Stansted most of water connections to Ugley Brook and the impact my life and have been a member of the Parish Council for on the flooding from the Brook that occurs on over 25 years. I have seen for myself the impact of in- Lower Street. creased traffic volume upon the village.

See the full objection document on our website at As one Grove Hill resident states “The volume and size of www.stansted.net/NEWS vehicles has long overwhelmed the B1051 which is very much the same road as when it was a horse and cart car- riageway. The additional traffic entering Stansted from BENTFIELD POND the B1051 has assisted in making the village a static car Staying to the west of the village, you may have noticed park for long periods of the day.” that the pond has a lot of duckweed in it. Many Grove Hill residents do not have anywhere else to park but on the road. Frequently there is an impasse when a car or a lorry, which is not used to the informal queuing system, before the lights as you head down Grove Hill into Lower Street, tries to get through the lights, or just joins the queue of traffic, rendering the road impassable. Lorries another Grove Hill resident states “flout the 7.5 tonne weight restrictions and jams often cause two way traffic on Grove Hill with vehicles mounting the pavements to get through, bringing them within a metre of front doors on this street.”

The same is true of Chapel Hill, residents have nowhere else to park. Parked cars and delivery lorries create fur- ther congestion and a one way system. Readers may recall that we had an infestation of Pigmy weed some time ago which is very easily spread, with the Paragraph 109 of the NPPF states that ‘Development ability to grow from very small fragments. It forms dense should only be prevented or refused on highway grounds mats, outcompeting native species, and choking ponds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway and drainage ditches. The weed was treated by a local safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road landowner and our volunteer group was unable to carry network would be severe.’ This I would contend is the out any further maintenance work due to the risk of case with this application. spreading that weed. We are awaiting further advice on the duckweed. Another reason to dismiss this appeal is on the grounds of air quality. In 2018 Uttlesford declared a climate emergency and air quality is of great concern in Stansted. FAIRFIELD PLANNING APPEAL If this appeal is upheld, the increased traffic would result Following refusal of their planning application to build in increased pollution. Uttlesford’s Environmental Health 350 homes on land to the east of the railway line in Elsen- Officer stated on 4/9/19 that their recommendation was ham, the Fairfield Partnership launched an appeal. Cllr air quality should be considered as grounds for refusal. Geoffrey Sell represented the Parish Council at the virtual They state: “There is an unacceptable risk that even with Appeal Hearing and below are extracts from his objection some improvements in emissions expected to take place document: nationally, exceedances of the air quality objective will occur at sensitive receptors on Stansted Road, Elsenham, Grove Hill and Silver Street, Stansted Mountfitchet, The site is approximately 1.5 miles from Stansted. Elsen- ..leading to air quality conditions which will be detrimen- ham and Henham are neighbouring parishes. They share tal to human health.” much of the same infrastructure as Stansted. What hap- pens in these adjoining parishes has a direct effect upon The site is in an unsustainable location as concluded in Stansted. Elsenham is a village under siege from planning the 2016 appeal decision by the Secretary of State. Stan- applications. The Fairfield planning proposals has hung sted Parish Council requests that you dismiss this appeal. over it for many years.

21 UTTLESFORD FOODBANK French Culture Club The two Foodbanks which were in operation through the The creation of a French Culture Club is close to our lockdown period have now been assimilated and are be- hearts. The first meeting was due at the Mountfitchet Ex- ing administered by the Uttlesford Foodbank. We are de- change in March this year, before Covid 19 put a stop to lighted to be providing temporary accommodation for everything. The club was to be open to all and any fran- this service to cater for local needs. In addition, local cophiles in Stansted wanting to come together to share businesses have signed up to a voucher scheme to pro- in all things French, to see French films, listen to French vide fresh meat and fruit/vegetables which is of immense songs, perhaps have a “French Speaking Corner” led by a benefit. See page 9 for further information. French national, or anything that the participants would like to do or see. It could take just about any format. DAY CENTRE UPDATE Current restrictions prevent the reopening of the Day We’d love to know what the interest in this would be Centre for either lunch provision or hiring as a venue. amongst Stansted residents. Are there people out there However, we have been able to proceed with the who feel that they would like to participate in sharing planned replacement of all windows and this project was their love of France? If so, please comment below or con- completed in October. tact the town-twinning committee at [email protected] to express interest, to voice your STAFF RECRUITMENT ideas of how you would like the club to be run, and say A review of our staffing structure meant that we were what you would enjoy doing in such a club. able to advertise two part-time positions. These were advertised online and we received a combined total of 50+ applications for the two roles. The Personnel sub- UTTLESFORD DISTRICT COUNCIL committee has reviewed these and drawn up a shortlist for interview. As we go to print, interviews are being ar- Cllr Geoffrey Sell writes: ranged to be held in December. What a year! As 2020 draws to a close it will be a year to RABBIT-PROOFING THE CEMETERY remember. It has been the year of the Coronavirus We have had a very kind offer from Daniel Robinson & (COVID-19) with over 48,000 deaths in the UK and over a Sons Ltd to erect some rabbit-proof fencing around the million confirmed cases. Eighty nine people tested posi- cemetery. This gesture is in memory of Bart Robinson, tive in Uttlesford in the last 7 days (as at 5/11/20) This late of this parish, who used to complain bitterly that the was a rise of 29% over the previous week. My sympa- pesky rabbits were munching the flowers that he left on thies go to all those affected by this cruel virus. As a his wife’s grave. The project will include a severe cutting founder of the Stansted Business Forum I am concerned back of the existing hedges to enable to protection to be about the effect of the second lockdown upon our small put in place correctly, and the erection of a ranch-style businesses which are the lifeblood of our economy. The fence alongside the pathway. Hopefully the work will be run up to Christmas is a vital trading period for many completed in December, and the hedges will be recover- businesses. Please do your best to support our local busi- ing by the Spring. nesses.

TOWN TWINNING UPDATE The majority of staff at UDC are still working from home Town-twinning activities have been rather quiet this year. and they are providing crucial services such as distribut- In the last few months there have only been one or two ing government grants which helps us to get through this meetings between our President and the Parish Council, pandemic. All Essex recycling centres are remaining open and with the town-twinning committee across the Chan- during the lockdown. nel. Our aim is to foster friendships between our two towns so that ultimately different clubs and organizations in Mental Health Stansted can create links with similar groups in Rungis. Mental health is as important as our physical health, par- For example, our tennis clubs had planned a match either ticularly during these unprecedented times, and there is in Stansted or in Rungis, school children in both towns always something we can do to improve it. Uttlesford is had started corresponding, and similarities of interests supporting Live Well see www.livewellcampaign.co.uk. and activities are being sought between the senior citi- Here in Stansted we are fortunate to have the recently zens of Rungis and our Stansted U3A. established Let’s Talk Stansted! This group of residents, whom I have been assisting, are working to support men- We hope to resume activities with Rungis early next year tal health in our community. Their website is and in the meantime, we will bring you an online quiz on www.stanstedmentalhealth.org. They are grateful for the 18th December, so you have something to look forward support given to them by Stansted Surgery and many to before Christmas. others. See page 19 for further information.

22 Planning Application - Bloor Homes - Pennington Lane Joanna KAVANAGH 815157 [email protected] You will already have read a summary of the Parish Ayub KHAN 815800 Council’s objections. I worked closely with Save Stansted [email protected] Village who did a wonderful job in getting so many of you John O'BRIEN 816772 to object to this application. It is unlikely that the Planning [email protected] Committee will make any decisions on this application until Frances RICHARDS 812748 early in the New Year. Alan Storah, who has recently died, (Vice Chairman) [email protected] acted as our planning consultant in the earlier battle Geoffrey SELL 815925 against Taylor Wimpey’s planning application at Bentfield [email protected] Green and his advice was crucial in our success. Tom VAN DE BILT 07710 426850 [email protected] Planning Appeal -Stansted Airport Daphne WALLACE-JARVIS 812259 Earlier this year the planning committee refused the appli- [email protected] cation for full use of the runway. This, if granted, would give the airport permission to handle 43 million passengers per annum. I was a member of the committee which, with UTTLESFORD DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS two exceptions, voted to turn down this application. The two exceptions were councillors who were members of Melvin CATON 813914 Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) who decided to abstain to [email protected] ensure there was no legal challenge. The appeal is due to Alan DEAN 813579 be heard in January 2021. Some councillors, including my- [email protected] self, are concerned about the conduct of the appeal proc- Ayub KHAN 815800 ess. We would like to see the Council working more closely [email protected] with SSE in order to defeat this application. Geoffrey SELL 815925 [email protected] On behalf of my colleagues Melvin Caton, Alan Dean and Ayub Khan I should like to wish everyone a good Christmas ESSEX COUNTY COUNCILLOR and happier new year. To paraphrase an election slogan used in the 1997 general election “Things can only get bet- Ray GOODING 813103 ter.” [email protected]

PARISH COUNCIL STAFF MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

Clerk - Ruth Clifford Kemi Badenoch MP, House of Commons, London SW1A Administration Assistant - Emma Philbrick 0AA Tel 0207 219 1943 (House of Commons) Email Email: [email protected] [email protected] Phone/fax: 01279 813214 Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri 9.00am- 4.00pm, Wed 9.00am-1.00pm POLICE Website: www.stansted.net PCSO Nikki Morris email: [email protected] Non-emergency 101 The Community Policing Team has PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS its own email address which is monitored daily: [email protected] Alan BARNES 817214 [email protected] Daniel BRETT 817974 LIBRARY [email protected] Maureen CATON 813914 Tuesday 9am-1pm (Chairman) [email protected] Wednesday 2pm-5pm Jonathan HARDING 817921 Thursday 2pm-6pm [email protected] Saturday 9.30am-5pm John HUDSON 814489 [email protected] The Library is currently only open for pre-ordered Matthew JESSUP 816591 books. See www.essex.gov.uk for further information. [email protected]

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Ross Nursing Services Ltd Est 1999 Walk-In NHS Hearing Aid Maintenance Service Update Ross Nursing Services is family owned and run. We provide the highest levels of personal care and Due to Covid-19 restrictions our Stansted sessions are support for clients in their own homes. We have currently suspended but please contact us if you need help experienced carers to help people with a wide range of needs, from We are offering a limited number of appointments in select simply preparing meals, to dealing with multiple and complex venues and may be able to deliver a doorstep visit to those conditions. Care plans are flexible, fully reflect our clients’ needs, and can be changed at short notice when necessary with highest need who are unable to visit our venues For more information please check our website See www.rossnursing.co.uk or call 01799 551046 www.hearinghelpessex.org.uk or call 01245 496347 and speak to our managing director Ros Holder Registered Charity 1113498 Company Limited by Guarantee Registered no 5664873 24 CHOOSING A REAL CHRISTMAS TREE MEMORIES: THE CHOIRMEN’S SUPPER www.squiresofstansted.com I expect that Christmas this year could be disappointing for Natural Christmas trees are a sustainable resource, taking lots of children because of Covid-19 restrictions, but it can’t seven to ten years to grow a two-metre tree. Trees are car- be as bad as spending hours in air raid shelters (or in my bon sinks, trapping CO2 and using ten times fewer natural case in the family shop’s cheese cellar) while bombs are resources than an artificial tree. Also, more seedlings are falling from German aircraft, like we all were during WWll. planted than trees cut down each year. The Nordmann Fir When I became a choirboy at the age of seven in 1941, I (shown below) is usually grown in places such as Scandinavia remember being allowed to go to a Christmas dinner known where the trees are subjected to colder temperatures and as The Choirmen’s Supper at the Central Hall in Chapel Hill hard frosts. The frosts cause a chemical reaction in the trees, (now The Old Court House). Canon J H Barrow took off his sending a sugary sap from the branches into the needles jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves to carve the turkey, which prevents them from dropping once the tree is cut. which had been given by one of our Churchwardens. I think We recommend cutting the bottom off your tree; this will it was the farmer, Spencer Smith that year and the veg was help significantly with water absorption, as it helps to open donated by dear old Joe Watson who had lots of vegetables the end of the trunk and allow maximum water uptake. growing in his garden at Churchill Corner. Ladies from both St Mary’s and St John’s Churches cooked a lovely dinner for about 12 men and 16 boys.

Afterwards, all the boys were told to sit on the floor in a circle with Mr Porter, choirman and hairdresser, in the middle and we were told to be ready. Then he would sud- denly point at one of us and quickly say the name of a fruit three times eg plum, plum, plum. If we failed to say plum before he said it three times, we had to leave the circle and sit on one of the chairs. (Pomegranate was one of his favourite fruits to call out.) The game went on until there was only one boy Here are some ideas regarding disposal of your tree: the left, and he needles and soft branches make good mulch which helps to would win the break up our heavy clay soil and add nutrition to the ground. prize; a bag of The mulch can also be used to protect tender perennials and sweets or some can prevent the ground from becoming frozen. Stack the coloured pencils larger branches into piles which will provide a great wildlife perhaps. After habitat for insects, invertebrates, fungi, and lichens. The the Church ser- trunk could be used to create a bee or ladybird hotel. If you vice on cut the trunk into manageable size pieces you can then drill Christmas Day holes into the end to provide a sheltered space for insects. the choirboys at Or St Clare’s Hospice are collecting trees for recycling on St Mary’s had to Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th January. For details phone walk across to 773700 or see their website for details. Stansted Hall and sing a carol. Mr Findlay, who lived there at the time, would give each boy a half crown coin (two shillings and six- pence) which was a lot of money in those days. Then it was a rush back to Church to hang up our robes before running home to see what else we had for Christmas. How exciting was that?

Keith Turner If you buy your tree from us, we donate £5 to local schools. So why not join us for a free mulled wine at our gift shop in the grounds of Sworders in Cambridge Road? Sally Lewis Squires of Stansted Tel: 07799 383403

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The Society was launched in 2014 with a website and an invitation for Janice and Ken have lived in Stansted for nearly 40 years. parish councils and individuals to become members. Their They grew up in London; their birth certificates are in the website www.hundredparishes.org.uk has introductions to same handwriting and give the same address as their place Stansted Mountfitchet and 102 other local administrative of birth; it was actually a popular maternity hospital just parishes. In 2018, Ken was the principal author of The Hun- after the War. dred Parishes: An Introduction, a book that includes almost a thousand of their photos. Whilst Ken’s name appears on the cover, he readily admits that it would never have hap- pened without Janice’s encouragement and editorial red pen! The Hundred Parishes website has a series of walks from railway stations which became less attractive when the coronavirus pandemic discouraged rail travel, so they initiated a project to add other walks that anyone could download, print and follow without using a train and without needing to be in a guided group. Drawing on their experience of designing and leading walks for many years, they have been resurrecting old routes and designing new ones, walking them with a Dictaphone and adding them to the website. Since May 2020, more than 40 walks have been added. Each route has been walked at least twice so it has kept them fit and focused during lockdowns. Editor Ken is a Chartered Accountant and worked as a financial director. Janice was a civil servant and for several years managed the Benefits Office in Harlow. They worked hard and saved, so were able to retire relatively young, now nearly 20 years ago. Ken had been a moderately successful racing cyclist, establishing national records on tandem and Airport Inquiry to start in midst of pandemic tricycle. He introduced Janice to cycling and as a couple they Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) has described the decision to either organised or competed, with some success, in cycle schedule a January start for the Public Inquiry into further map-reading competitions until just a few years ago. Janice expansion at Stansted Airport as “dangerous, unwise and got Ken involved in family history research and they have unnecessary” in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, each completed substantial family trees. They travelled the warning that it could jeopardise community involvement in world to carry out research and met up with hundreds of the hearings. The public inquiry is being held following an Ken’s distant relations, especially those with his mother’s appeal by Stansted’s owners, Manchester Airports Group maiden name, Teskey. They organised family gatherings in (MAG) against the refusal by Uttlesford District Council Stansted, Ireland, Germany and Canada. (UDC) to allow expansion of the airport to an annual throughput of 43 million passengers, compared to 28 million Involvement in the local community was minimal before last year. The refusal, by the UDC Planning Committee, was retirement but they have tried to make up for it since. by a resounding margin of 10 votes to nil. SSE believes that Janice served on the local Crime Prevention Panel and then a three-month deferral would be a safer and more sensible as a magistrate for nearly 20 years. Currently she chairs way forward, not least given the major impacts which the Stansted Surgery’s Patient Participation Group. In 2002, pandemic is having on the aviation industry. Stansted will when the area was threatened with a four-runway airport at handle fewer than nine million passengers this year, one Stansted, they both became heavily involved in Stop third of last year’s total. Experts say it will take five years Stansted Expansion (SSE). Ken has served on SSE’s commit- before passenger numbers return to 2019 levels and there tee since then and spoken at various public meetings and inquiries. For seven years they masterminded SSE’s major are some who question whether the demand for air travel fundraising activity, the Community Calendar, taking photos, will ever fully recover. co-ordinating the door-to-door sales team and storing about Despite strong objections from SSE, the start date has been two tons of calendars at home. They have been members of set for 12th January 2021. SSE argued that it was folly to Stansted Mountfitchet Local History Society since its forma- start the Inquiry in the midst of a pandemic and in the tion in 1989. They have always looked after its library and middle of winter when transmission rates will increase. In Janice arranges summer outings each year and the monthly defiance of common sense, the proposed venue for the catering rota. Ken served as treasurer for seven years. For Inquiry is the Radisson Blu hotel adjacent to the airport ter- the last 12 years, they have led an informal walking and so- minal building. The hotel caters primarily for airport passen- cial group, planning the majority of routes and carrying out gers and air crew, demonstrated to be the primary vector the enjoyable task of finding good lunch venues for each for the transmission of Covid-19. month’s outing. They look forward to when this part of life SSE Campaign Office can begin again. Tel: 870558 Email: [email protected]

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28 THE HUNDRED PARISHES SOCIETY www.hundredparishes.org.uk Ivy Hedera helix With Christmas just around the corner we are thinking of Known for its distinctive leaf, ivy can be used as a template calling friends and family but not, I suspect, from a red tele- for designs, and is often used in old church carvings, or on phone box. In 1924 the Royal Fine Art Commission invited grave stones. It is useful also in floral displays. We think of three architects to submit designs for new telephone kiosks. ivy in association with holly. In ancient times the winter The winner was Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who also designed period prompted folk to bring evergreens into their homes Liverpool Cathedral where he is buried. hoping that the sun would return again in the spring. Churches are also often adorned with this prolific plant Scott was a trustee of Sir John when celebrating Christmas. While ivy sometimes grows up Soane’s Museum and he trees, it is not a problem if the tree is healthy. However, this topped his kiosk with a dome is not the case on a weaker tree, and can cause its demise. similar to that on the mauso- Buildings were thought to be harmed by ivy taking hold, but leum Soane had designed for science has proven that the ivy could insulate the house, himself. keeping it warmer in winter and cooler in summer. It was produced in cast iron as GPO model K2, replacing the K1 concrete kiosk. Later designs had a similar appearance. The most common, the somewhat smaller K6, was introduced for King George V’s silver jubilee in 1935.

The colour red was chosen to make them easy to spot, although Scott had suggested silver. These robust and iconic survivors of the 20th century, found in almost every town and village, are worth preserv- ing. At the last count, 51 Ivy is of great benefit to wildlife. As I write this in early within the Hundred Parishes November the late flowering heads are still attracting bees, had been listed. Most red wasps and a few moths. It is perfect for cosy little nests and phone boxes have now been hiding holes for small creatures and birds to see the winter decommissioned although a out. The flowers and berries supply their food. For centuries few, like the one in Anstey, ivy has been used as a treatment for coughs, chest and still operate as a pay phone. bronchial congestion. It works as an expectorant, which Many villages have used the helps loosen mucus from the respiratory tract. There is no box to house a defibrillator; others have inventively turned need to make our own today as it is normally available in them into informal book exchanges and information points. health food shops. So at this festive time of year, we may Some villages have been even more imaginative: the box in well hear The Holly and the Ivy being sung on the radio, but Standon shown above has been transformed into a green- due to the coronavirus, sadly we are unable to participate in house full of colourful plants. the usual carol services. Like our ancestors, particularly in these uncertain days, we also hope for better times in the With Christmas in mind, the Society still has a limited supply spring. of its book The Hundred Parishes: an Introduction. The 400- Bee’s Daughter page hardback with a thousand photos is available for £25 from tourist information centres and good book shops, or by arrangement with me. The Society’s trustees wish you all ARTHUR QUIZ ANSWERS a very happy Christmas.

1. Arthur Wilson (Dad’s Army) 2. Arthur Lowe 3. Tennis Ken McDonald Player 4. Bill Treacher 5. He never spoke 6. Death of a Secretary Salesman 7. Catherine of Aragon 8. Ford Prefect 9. Tel: 813226 Wellesley 10. Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle 11. W S Gilbert 12. Arthur Rackham 13. The Socialist Labour Party 14. Arthur Balfour. He succeeded his uncle Robert, Lord Salisbury, as prime minister 15. Arthur Askey 16. Arthur Honeggar 17. Prince Charles, as Duke of Cornwall 18. Arthur Hastings 19. Sir Arthur Bliss 20. Art Garfunkel

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30 every month and many of our cancelled monthly meeting speakers have agreed to come next year. We wish you all a good Christmas and hope everyone stays safe and well.

www.stanstedbusinessforum.co.uk Lynda Webb We are very pleased that we had our Zoom meeting on 6th November. We were delighted to have speakers from the STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET U3A BOOK CLUB new Let’s Talk Stansted! initiative to talk about mental health and also from the Uttlesford Economic Development The U3A book club met on 28th October at the Rose and team supporting businesses in Uttlesford. The mental health Crown pub, Bentfield Green. project is important for all of us but particularly for busi- nesses in these very challenging times. Businesses in the Forum and others can spread the word about support which is available through the project. They can also get involved by nominating mental health ‘ambassadors’ in the work- place. This is good for businesses and the community. It will enable businesses to support staff and to have a cham- pion for mental health in local businesses. We heard how they will offer mental health first aid which includes listen- ing and signposting services (see page 19). We had some good news about support for businesses through the Economic Development team in Uttlesford. Business e-newsletters and a business support guide are available, containing information about how to reach out Jean and Jenny (pictured), Sue, Judy and I managed to sit and help businesses in the community. There is support and outside in the pouring rain with hot water bottles very kindly training available for businesses to use social media more provided by the pub! effectively. There is also a lot of emphasis on encouraging Viccy Chappell communities to shop locally. Contact the website www.uttlesford.gov.uk/keepmeposted and highlight the business and economic development section to receive STANSTED EVENING WI news. Please also email [email protected] where We marked our 60th Anniversary on 15th October, 60 years Linda Howells and Sarah Lewin will be more than happy to from the very first meeting in the Central Hall on 13th give helpful advice to support businesses at such an impor- October 1960. During the first meeting, Mrs Webb, a County tant time. If you are a new business who is interested in par- Organiser and obviously very important, explained the 11 WI ticipating in future Zoom meetings or would like more rules. I have been a member for more than 50 years but I did information about the forum, please call Peter James on not know we had rules, let alone 11 of them! I wonder how 813318 or email: many of them I and our members have broken over the [email protected]. years? Iris Evans Treasurer Our present Committee made up and delivered bags con- taining a small bottle of Prosecco, a homemade cake and sweets to every Club member. When we had our anniver- sary Zoom meeting, we were able to raise a glass to each other and to the next 50 years. It was good that two of our founder members could be there to speak to us. In 1960 www.U3Asites.org.uk/stansted there was nowhere for young mothers and women to meet in the evenings. There was an afternoon WI in the village I hope U3A members have been reading Sally’s interesting but women who worked or had young children could not email newsletters, keeping you up to date with what has attend this, so it was very popular from the start. We all been going on during this very difficult year. Regretfully we agreed that we miss our social gatherings but feel lucky that have been unable to hold monthly meetings but it is good we are able to use modern technology in order to stay in that so many of you are keeping in touch by other methods, touch in this way. We had a really good quiz with six ques- and in the summer, some of you met in outdoor spaces. tions from each of the last six decades. We will be having This is probably not possible now but hopefully many people another Zoom meeting in November when we will be play- will use Zoom or similar. The Creative Writing, Art Apprecia- ing Bingo as well as chatting of course. We cannot be sure of tion and Ukulele Groups are doing this. when we will be gathering again in the Day Centre. There Entries for our Christmas competitions for the best are lots of classes online organised by the National WI com- autumn/winter photograph, short story and home-made mittee and they are still producing our monthly magazine ornament are nearly closed (2nd December) and our judges which is full of ideas. The WI wish all Link readers a very will soon be looking at the submissions. I do hope you were happy if unusual Christmas and look forward to next year able to enter, and even if you were not a winner, enjoyed with the hope that things will change. Keep well everyone. taking part and will go on to contribute to the newsletter in Judy Colliver any way you can. Our Committee hold meetings via Zoom Tel: 812470

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Herts & Essex Window Doctor www.hertsandessexwindowdoctor.co.uk Do-It-4U All Double Glazing Repairs Repair, Care & Maintenance Misted Units Locks, Handles & Hinges for your Home and Garden Patio, French & Bi-fold Doors Plumbing, Electrical & Carpentry Services All Conservatory Repairs Undertaken Drain Blockages Cleared Gardens Tidied & Maintained Call Nigel or Adam on 01279 816324 or 07769 274610 Hedges & Topiary Trimmed & Shaped Email: [email protected] or Fences Erected & Repaired [email protected] Gutters Cleaned, Repaired or Replaced Free Quote - No Obligation Sheds & Other Sectional Buildings Erected All Work Guaranteed DON’T REPLACE IT - REPAIR IT Tel 01279 814411 Mobile 07774 877320 32 RANDOM JOTTINGS - LANGUAGE A BLANKET ON THE BENCH The random jotting by Loki in the November Link well illus- First day of lockdown, felt very emotionally frayed. The cold trates the need for correct spelling when writing. How often was bitingly ferocious. Even with a T-shirt, a thick jumper, a does one see there instead of their, which sends a message hoody, a leather jacket and a coat, the icy winter tendrils about the writer. Careless punctuation can also cause mis- permeated my slim torso relentlessly. A dear friend, when understanding, as humorously illustrated in Lynne Truss’s realising my fragile mental state, drove to my rescue bring- book Eats, Shoots and Leaves. The presence of the comma ing me both food and water. She listened to me with empa- after ‘eats’ completely alters the meaning of the description thy, understanding and positivity. We went for a walk of a panda. A third element of English writing and speech is bumping into (at a two-metre distance of course), Steve the about the way words are used - grammar. Here are three of ebullient owner of The Queen’s. We chatted but then they my personal hobby-horses: both realised how cold I was, and my friend took me out to stimulate my endorphins with the wondrous natural vistas. I was taught that when comparing two items, different Warm and soothing saved the day. must be followed by from. When I hear different to I mentally correct the speaker and when I hear different than, usually from an American speaker, I cringe. The logic is clear; from implies a going away, as does dif- ferent whereas to implies a coming together, like simi- lar; so different from and similar to are logical. There is certainly no logic in than My second beef is about the word none. The word, being a contraction of no one or not one is singular and should be followed by the singular verb form. For example, none of the committee is present, and not are present. Similarly, one in four of the committee is a woman rather than are women, though this is more debatable

I suppose I shall get used to hearing a person called The inexorable loneliness of my flat produces in me an urge chair. I always considered a chair to be an inanimate to return to the bench reminiscent of a spawning salmon object for sitting upon. The office of chairman endows called to the rivers of its ancestors. It is here that I revitalise its occupant with authority to control a meeting. The myself with the kind wishes, smiles, waves, beeps of cars occupant of the office I would always call chairman, from friends old and new, the passers-by, the dog walkers this being the generic term. If the emphasis is on the and the joggers. For a good wee while the sun stopped by to gender of the chairman, then, maybe chairwoman or, if say hello with its refulgent smile, most akin to the warmth addressing her, Lady or Madam Chairman. I would hate that I receive here from my friends and the kindly souls of to be called a chair. The Speaker of the House of this village haven. As I write, right now, the last gentle, Commons is always addressed as Speaker and not golden fronds of sunlight are slowly fading in the distance. chair. The Queen is never referred to as throne, which And lo, ‘tis night. The elegant slender lampposts blossom she sits upon, and monarch is one of the generic terms, into their amber bloom and in the darkness, there is a sense which happen to have no gender connotations, unlike of hushed calm that is not quite hope but not yet despair. chairman. Fandangled fireworks are leaping into a sparkling, rico- Cliff Gilbert cheted existence only to fade into obscurity in an instant. Anticipation, joy and hope all in a short coruscating blaze of light. A stunning counterpoint to the silver stars that share their luminosity though long since expired-history in the fir- UGLEY FARMERS' MARKET mament. As the day underwent its timeless cycle, I found the wintry pincers returning to haunt my sojourn and yet I Ugley Village Hall felt the urge to stay. The Muse that is the bench returns. Saturday 19th December Dear, sweet citizens of Stansted, stay strong, stay safe, Saturday 16th January share the love and if you are short of a smile, stop by at the bench and I will give you one of mine! 10.00am-12 noon Krishna Mukhoty Unless Covid-19 regulations change, we hope to hold the market again in the car park and Village Hall. A Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year All the usual great stalls to all our Readers For info contact: Susan Bone 814052 Email: [email protected] Website: ugleyvillage.org.uk Don't forget, the next Link will be in February 2021

33 Est 1990

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34 If you are walking across land and it is not identified as a PROW (many field paths are not), you could be charged with trespass. There are two main types, both of which may be used by farm vehicles: www.eastonlodge.co.uk Footpaths are for walkers and should not be used It has been a year like no other. Last December the marsh by any vehicle including cycles cypress was spectacular in the sunshine and we looked for- Bridleways may be used by horses, cycles and ward to 2020, but the year kicked off with storms Ciara and walkers Dennis and we lost trees and scarcely managed to open for snowdrop days. Locked down in March, we wondered when Additionally, there are Permissive Paths, which are found all anyone would next get to enjoy the gardens. However, we over the countryside. They are not always identified, but were allowed to open from July and we loved welcoming where they are, you can freely walk along them. Permissive visitors back, with new weekly Open Thursdays and a record Paths can be closed at the owners' discretion. Enjoy ram- number of visitors for an October Open Day to finish the bling, it is sociable, it brings solace, it provides places to season. We are optimistic for 2021, despite the continuing exercise and is acceptable for persons of all ages; but be pandemic. We know we can open the Gardens safely and careful, some paths have bumpy surfaces. Walking induces provide a pick-me-up breath of fresh air in lovely surrounds calm, enables contact with nature; slow down your life, for our visitors. We have been busy adding bulbs to start the enjoy open spaces and take in the beauty of trees, a kite or coming year with a big burst of colour and will open for buzzard in flight, a little mouse as it runs across the path, snowdrops on Sundays 14th and 21st February and Thursdays deer in full flight and the energy of harvest-time. A map of 18th and 25th February. There will be our usual Open Stansted showing PROWS and Permissive Paths is in print- Thursdays from March to November and Sunday Open Days able form on our website. during the main season. Daphne Wallace-Jarvis Publicity Officer Email: [email protected]

RANDOM JOTTINGS - GREETINGS AND FOOD Greetings Long gone are the days when our main form of greeting was a formal shake of hands with maybe an affectionate slap on the back and hugs (especially man hugs) and kisses were only carried out in private, certainly not on the street or at places of work. In fairly recent years we’ve adopted the ‘foreign’ custom of kissing on both cheeks and hugging as the norm when meeting people. No longer are we as For the rest of the closed season we will be working on a reserved and afraid to show our emotions in public, which wide range of projects: to add interest in forgotten corners has to be a good thing. But now, forced down the no physi- of the Gardens and extend the area open to visitors. The cal contact road, many are finding it extremely difficult to stonemasons will be busy turning the balusters for the res- cope with the emotional isolation life in lockdown has toration of the lilypond. To support the project go to caused. The pandemic is not going to go away any time www.eastonlodge.co.uk/the-gardens/restoration. Wishing soon so we need to look for ways to live with it. Establish- you all a very merry Christmas and happy new year. ing an affectionate form of greeting that doesn’t break any Jill Goldsmith of the current restrictions and is an alternative to the awful Tel: 07947 183439 ‘elbow bump’ might be a start! In some Eastern cultures a simple respectful dip of the head, sometimes accompanied by hands clasped together as in prayer, is a common form of greeting. In others a hand placed on the heart is a way of conveying love. Perhaps we could revive the old-fashioned customs of doffing hats, or even bowing and curtseying to www.walksaroundstortford.org.uk greet one another. Or can you think of something better? Sunday Walks departing at 10.00am 4-5/6 miles Food for Thought Please check our website to see if walks will be taking In an attempt to support the local economy, I was eating place. Please wear face coverings at the meeting point and out at least once a week before the latest lockdown (tough, have them available during the walk. but someone has to do it). I have enjoyed some delicious Do enjoy walking but please remember that all land is meals at various eateries in the village but am disappointed owned by someone and you should respect this. We are by the boring vegetables on offer; usually chips, maybe fortunate in our area of Hertfordshire and Essex that there peas, green beans and/or salad. Ever optimistic I will con- are many Public Rights of Way (PROWs), identified on tinue to eat out whenever it is allowed again, in the hope Ordnance Survey maps, which everyone has a right to use that one day I will be offered a wider choice of different free of charge. vegetables. Loki

35 FOREST HALL SCHOOL MANUDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL www.manudenprimary.co.uk The school is part of the J9 initiative, raising awareness of domestic abuse and supporting victims. The school’s welfare Once again, we are in the middle of another busy and excit- team took part in training for J9, an initiative set up in ing half-term at the school with wide-ranging experience memory of Janine Mundy who was killed by her estranged outcomes taking place throughout the school. husband in June 2003 while he was on police bail. The session educated staff Our Reception and Year 1 and 2 children have been working about early warning signs and how to help on their video production, Hats Off! - a farmyard romp of a support people who may be at risk of musical that takes us on a tour through the changing sea- domestic violence. The school has dis- sons of the year in the delightful company of Apple the pony played a J9 sticker which subtly signals that and a host of farmyard animals. there are specially trained staff on site who will offer a safe place and support if someone is suffering from domestic In Years 3 and 4, the Hawk Owl Class children are continuing violence. their work on the Vikings in order to answer the big ques- tion, Do the Vikings deserve their bad reputation? Hopefully, Hannah Stuart, deputy safeguarding officer and part of the their Horrible History style presentations will help settle the welfare team, said: “During the course, we learnt about dif- argument once and for all. ferent types of abusive behaviours. This allowed us to have an insight into how people can be controlled and isolated by In Eagle Owl Class, following on from their green screen a partner. It particularly highlighted that domestic abuse is news reports, the Year 5 and 6 children have been continu- not just about physically hurting someone. The training ing their Titanic learning with their Inside the Titanic experi- informed us that we need to look out for changes in ence outcome where they have been creating a cross- behaviours, such as comments from children about their section model of the infamous ship in order to demonstrate parents being isolated or alone and being humiliated or their understanding of the experiences of difference classes belittled by their partner. The training was very insightful on the Titanic. and will allow me to work with children who have witnessed this behaviour and support their families.

I think this is very important as children are the innocent vic- tims of domestic abuse. They may witness these behaviours and not know how to deal with them. It is important that we can identify what is going on at home and help to provide appropriate support to not only the child, but the parent, too. We also have many parents visit the school and we are at the centre of Stansted, so I believe it is vital to have a safe place for victims of domestic abuse to come to for help and support.” Kelly Clark

ST MARY’S PRIMARY SCHOOL www.stmarysstansted.co.uk In November, we held our very first virtual Open Evening for those children wishing to join our school next September. As we inch closer to the end of the year, I would like to take At the online event, our headteacher, Mrs Bratley, took the opportunity to praise the resilience of St Mary’s chil- prospective parents on a video tour and gave a snapshot of dren, parents and staff. The strength displayed by families life at our friendly village school, including the chance to and the local community in the first lockdown provided meet pupils and staff and have a glimpse of our creative much needed support and guidance to those that were curriculum in action. If you missed the event but are still struggling and I am confident that this will be the case again. interested in a place, either in reception or in another year School is so important to our children; we are happy to be group, please contact the school office. here and our chief aim is to keep the children safe. Manuden Primary School - Nurturing life skills and inspiring Topics this half term include ‘Stargazers’ for our older achievement for today and tomorrow. cohort, ‘Scrumdiddlyumptious’ (a topic relating to all things Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) for LKS2 and ‘Muck, mess Marnie Tait and mixtures’ for our younger ones. We are anticipating a Deputy Headteacher lot of fun! St Mary’s is proud to be part of the Stansted com- Tel: 813370 munity and to have you all as members of our school family. Email: [email protected] Matthew Curzon Acting Head

36 MAGNA CARTA PRIMARY This year our finances have been devastated as we have www.magnacartaacademy.org spent so much time closed and we have had to postpone our Sleigh Ride to Santa weekend, so if you are able to help us in any way, please once again check out our website for The children are working on their health and fitness, thanks details on how to do so – thank you so much. We would not to an investment in gym equipment. We received a sport still be here at all if it were not for the support from our premium grant of £3,000 for new outdoor facilities. This wonderful visitors and the help from all our amazing volun- equipment is another way for the school to monitor and teers, so a huge thank you to each and every one of you. improve the health and fitness of young people, enabling We really hope that you have the most marvellous pupils to do pull-ups, sit-ups, bench dips and abdominal Christmas and that the New Year brings you all that you workouts. wish for and once again, thanks so much for your support. Our very best seasonal wishes to you all. The farm is in Hall Road, Elsenham, CM22 6DN - for that happy day when we are able to reopen. Elaine Terry Tel: 07747 787973

www.rainbowpreschool-stansted.co.uk

The Adventurers group children have settled in very well upon their return in September. They have quickly adapted to the change in our routines in response to Covid-19. They have been on an Autumn walk to collect conkers, twigs and The school had a daily mile track installed last year to leaves for sorting, counting and using in creative activities. encourage children to include exercise as part of their rou- They each made a harvest basket and brought in a food gift tines. Phil Dawes, BMAT director of PE and sport, said: to fill it and then a staff member took these to Norman “After we had the tracks installed, we noted an improve- Court for distribution amongst the residents. ment in children’s cardiovascular fitness levels. We are defi- nitely seeing the benefits that brings. Building on that, we wanted to focus on their muscle strength and endurance. This equipment enables classes to complete circuits together and, once the restrictions allow us, we can host after-school fitness clubs to target children to improve cer- tain aspects of fitness. Now is the time to focus on getting children fit and strong and to build habits to last them throughout life. We are trying to ensure everyone engages in PE. Some people like team sports, but for others it will be the gym that becomes their form of exercise for life. This is good preparation for that.” Other benefits of using the equipment include improving fitness; building balance, co-ordination and agility; increasing muscle and bone They had lots of fun making textured pictures with paint; strength; improving motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination firework pictures and rockets too. All the children are and encouraging communication and collaboration. spending lots of time outside, exploring the garden area, Kelly Clark playing in the mud kitchen, chasing bubbles in the play- ground, riding the bikes, and playing with the footballs. They also enjoy taking part in ring games and action songs. We are slowly building up the number of children in our DAISY MAY’S FARM Explorers group. They have settled in well and we will be www.daisymaysfarm.org taking in more children throughout the coming months. All the children are enjoying their time at Rainbow whilst they We know what we would all like for Christmas, and that is continue to learn through play. Rainbow Pre-School takes for you all to be able to come and visit us. At the time of children from 2½ years to rising 5. If you are interested in writing, we once again find ourselves in lockdown and we applying for a place for your child, please visit our website know, like last time, the animals will miss you immensely. for details. You need to put your child’s name down now, Please do keep an eye on our Facebook page and as soon as however young, to ensure a place. we are allowed to invite you back, it will be on there. We Gill Pursglove would all love to see you and your families (and that Administrator includes our animals too) as soon as possible. Tel: 814242 Email: [email protected]

37 DIRECTORY OF LOCAL CLUBS AND ORGANISATIONS Alzheimers Society Tel: 01371 872519 Rotary Club Peter Latham Tel: 507294 Air Training Corps Tel: 681559/661929 Email: [email protected] 494 Squadron Email: [email protected] St John's Road and Leila Riddell Beaver Scouts Angela Madigan Area Association Tel: 07770 955830 Age 6-8 Tel: 01371 513028 Scouts (age 10½ -14) Mike Byrne Tel: 812780 Bowls Club Jeanette Mansell, Hon Secretary Shotokan Karate Ryu Donna Ring Tel: 731752 Tel: 01371 821446 Email: [email protected] Brownies (Tue) Kathy Shearman Tel: 07724 355533 Spangles Family Hub Tel: 812348 Brownies (Wed) Susan Scott Tel: 810955 Email: vcl.essexwest- [email protected] CAB Tel: 01799 618840 Stansted and District Geoff Lay Corkers Netball Lizzie Read Tel: 07770 594848 Past Rotarians Club Email: [email protected] Cricket Club (Adults) David Hedge Tel: 812509 Stansted Badminton Vince Tel: 07793 000107 (Juniors) Keith Ayres Tel: 814471 Club Raj Tel: 07775 915418 Cub Scouts Nic Devine Stansted Business Iris Evans Age 8-10½ Email: [email protected] Forum Email: [email protected] Day Centre Tel: 815091 Stansted Family Café Ros Page Tel: 810813 Explorer Scouts Paul Thorneycroft Tel: 01371 876784 Email: [email protected] Friends of St Mary's Lynda Dale Tel: 07716 099474 Stansted Football Club Tom Williams Tel: 07921 403842 Church Email: [email protected] Stansted Hall and David Brown Garden Club Maralyn Harris Tel: 07919 478144 Elsenham Cricket Club Tel: 831011/07788 999663 Email: [email protected] Grove Cottage Jocelin Warren Tel: 07482 535020 Office Tel: 656085 Stansted Sparks Gemma Snelling Tel: 07894 944242 Netball Email: [email protected] Guides Jennifer Jarvis Tel: 814434 Stansted Speed Warren Vickers Tel: 813996 Helpline Tel: 07704 553727 Watch Email: [email protected] History Society Roger Barrett Tel: 814216 Stansted Supers Olly Pocknell Email: [email protected] Handball Club Tel: 07875 391701 Huw Johnson Club Katharine Collis Tel: 07759 157620 Talking Newpaper Richard Barnett Tel: 651270 Email: [email protected] (BS and District) Email: Investigators Ros Page Tel 810813 [email protected] Age 7-11 Email: [email protected] Tennis Club Fiona Kelly Tel: 07949 623484 Little Scrummers Andrew Poyser Tel: 07738 591232 Email: [email protected] Millers (Windmill) Molly Clark Tel: 816768 The Hundred Ken McDonald Tel: 813226 Parishes Society Email: music@stansted Sonia Levy Tel: 815282 [email protected] (Classical concerts) Email: [email protected] U3A Ray Smith Tel: 813270 Neighbourhood Valerie Trundle Tel: 813433 W I Stansted) Anne Watson Tel: 898693 Watch W I (Ugley) Dorothy Wallace Tel: 850215 Parkinson's UK Vivian Falk Whoosh Explore Helen and Peter Nash Uttlesford Support Tel: 01799 513128 Canoe Club Tel: 817453 Group Email: [email protected] Youth Centre Linda Barnes Tel: 07947 548051 Rainbow Pre-School Gill Pursglove Tel: 814242/07966 506997 Email: [email protected] Note: This list will be updated as and when we learn of any Rainbows (Wed) Rachel Foster Tel: 07818 417971 changes. If you would like your organisation to be added Rainbows (Fri) Sue Pollard Tel: 813734 please let us know. Contact details are on page 1.

If you would like to mark any occasion that is special to you or someone you know, by announcing it in the Link, please email a short message together with your name address and telephone number to: [email protected] or send the details to 7 Blythwood Gardens, Stansted CM24 8HG. Details must be submitted by the 8th of the month for publication the following month.

38 STANSTED HALL & ELSENHAM STANSTED BOWLS CLUB

CRICKET CLUB By the time you read this we should hopefully be coming www.shcc.hitscricket.com out of our second national lockdown; let us hope that this is With hindsight, the Club did well in 2020. The seniors played the end of it. Hopefully this will also mean that we can get half a season and the juniors had just over half a season of onto the bowls green in 2021. At the Club it is all change Friday night coaching sessions and a really well organised with a new men’s Club captain and vice-captain, and a new cricket camp. More importantly most of our members ladies’ captain and vice-captain. We also welcome a new appeared to be enjoying cricket at the Hall. The improved Club secretary and green keeping crew. Our hardworking facilities helped, with the new veranda being an interesting green keeper for many years, John Scraggs, is hanging up his talking point during the season. The Club will be refurbishing shovel and taking on a more sedate role in the Club. the inside of the pavilion during the winter months. Without him the green would not be what it is today; he and his wife Doreen have been mainstays of the Club for a The ground at Molehill Green is now ready. The outfield and long time. The leagues will be changing too. The A team are wicket are much improved and the pavilion is complete. We staying in the NWEBA league, but the B team are moving feel sure that our juniors are really going to enjoy playing into the Steeple Bumpstead League, which should make matches at Cricketfield Lane, Molehill Green. The Club is team selection much easier. It also means more variety in considering branding our junior section. Shall we call them the teams that we play and will allow the Club to make even The Eagles, The Moles or maybe The Red Kites? Please email more friends. me any sensible ideas. In many, many ways 2020 has been dreadful and we all look forward to 2021 with hope. Happy We do not know what 2021 holds for us at the moment, but everything and stay safe. we shall need more members to help make the Club a suc- David Brown cess. It is an ideal way of getting out in the sun, or rain, for Tel: 831011 or 07788 999663 an evening or a weekend afternoon, coupled with lively Email: [email protected] banter as well as tea and cakes. If you think that bowling might suit you and you are keen to get involved in helping with the gardens and surroundings, or doing a bit of paint- ing, plus have decent broom skills, please get in touch; we STANSTED FOOTBALL CLUB will be happy to show you around. If you are thinking about www.essexseniorleague.co.uk/club/stansted-football-club joining a bowls club then please give Stansted a try: we are a small and friendly club and we look forward to welcoming After the introduction of the national four-week lockdown, you. all three of our teams saw their fixtures curtailed with new Peter Beattie dates having to be re-set by each league. For the first team, Hon Secretary having lost in the FA Vase at Milton Keynes Irish and at Tel: 07850 329192 Hoddesdon Town, the break probably came at the right Email: [email protected] time; players were fatigued and some were injured, caused by a fixture schedule which would have seen us playing Stansted twice a week right through the month and, on one occasion, Cricket just 48 hours between games. Now is the time for the players to recharge their batteries and we will hopefully Club cement our second-place position when the league resumes www.stanstedcc.hitscricket.com in December, and take on current leaders Hashtag United at th Hargrave Park on the 19th. The Club held its AGM by Zoom on 4 November. Mike Burgoine stood down as chairman after 15 years, and Presi- The Veterans were also looking good; their last game before dent Bob Selby thanked him for guiding the Club so success- the break was a cup tie against Newport in the Dorrington’s fully through that period with wisdom, dignity and great Derby, and they won comfortably 5-1. Team captain Andy personal charm. His successor will be Matt Abbotson, who Thorpe was quietly confident after the game saying that the has been with the Club since his early teens. Ben Baker will team ‘feared no one’ in their march to bring silverware to be the 1st XI captain, assisted by Matt Cope, and Dave the Club. The only ones to miss out were our under-13s; we Powter will captain the 2nd XI, assisted by Duncan Taylor. struggled to find them a venue to play their home games on The Club has resigned the 2nd XI from the Cambridgeshire Sunday mornings. They should have been able to play at League and applied to join our 1st XI in the new Herts and Hargrave Park in November but the lockdown put paid to Essex Border League. We wish to play cricket more locally that idea. We are assuming that when all teams start to play and are aware that travel restrictions might still be in place again the fixture schedule will remain as it is and any due to the virus in 2021, particularly in relation to travelling changes will happen in the New Year, so please keep an eye to away matches. We have been fortunate to have received out on our social media platforms for news. On behalf of the grants from the Government and Sport England to help tide Committee, team management and all the players, I wish all clubs over during a season where we have had no income our ‘Airport Army’ supporters and residents a Happy from sponsorship, subscriptions, match fees, social events Christmas; please stay safe and well and hopefully we will or bar sales. For more information on the Club please go to see you all again soon. our website. Tom Williams David Hedge Secretary Hon Secretary Tel: 07921 403842 Tel: 812509

39 Index to Advertisers

IFC - Inside Front Cover IBC - Inside Back Cover OBC - Outside Back Cover Animal Care Debs Dogs 16 Hairdressing Briggs Mobile Hairdresser 18 Greenside Boutique Cattery 16 Barnet Fayre 18 Mercer & Hughes OBC Claire’s Gents Hairstylist 18 Poochie Mumma 16 Lino Thomas OBC Building A C Wright Building Contractors 34 Halls for Hire Quaker Meeting House 16 Services David Lee 34 Manuden Community Centre 16 Hibbs & Walsh (Architects) 34 Stansted Free Church Hall 16 David Fortune (Builder) OBC St John’s Church Hall 16 JKL Construction 18 Ugley Village Hall 16 Uttlesford District Council 34 Household D C Alarms 30 Vester Property Services IBC Installations Mediacomms 30 Carpentry Canfield Carpentry 34 SDS Aerials 30 CJB Carpentry 34 Sygma Security Systems 30 Gillson Carpentry & Joinery 34 Ironing Dunmow Ironing Parlour 18 Chiropody R Handford 10 Jeweller John Wilson 10 Julie Golden 10 Legal Herts and Essex Wills 26 Cleaning Clear Ovens 18 Lever & Co Solicitors 26 Go-Jo Quality Cleaning 18 Leaflet Delivery Leaflet Delivery UK 6 Community & Broome End Care Home 8 Motor Repairs D Bonney & Sons 26 Care Hargrave House Care Home 8 Essex Autospray 26 Hearing Help 24 Music Lessons Carr (Piano, Organ, Singing) 12 Helpline 10 Priest (Piano, Violin, Singing) 12 Human Roots 10 Hamilton (Singing ) 12 Mountfitchet House Care Home 8 Networking Stansted Business Forum 26 Ross Nursing Services 24 Osteopathy & Quendon Osteopathy 4 Computing & MCM Computer Services 6 Physiotherapy Williams (Osteopath) 4 Office Taylor Computer Service 6 Painting, Ada Decorating 32 Witts End Business Services 6 Decorating Brown’s Painting & Decorating 32 Dance Graham School of Dance 12 & Plastering David Duncan Decorating 32 Dental Castle Dental 6 Lesley Anne (Painting) 32 Chapel Hill Dental 6 MWR Interiors 32 Education & Birchanger Butterflies Nursery 12 Prime Decor 32 Children Howe Green House School 12 Ray on the Hill 32 Rainbow Pre-School 12 T F Plastering 32 Tuition (ages 4 - 11) 12 Personal Fresh Leaf (Hypnotherapy) 10 Electrical Albury Electrical Services 24 Services Glynis Cheers (Hypnotherapy) 10 CK Electrical 24 Stansted Psychotherapy 10 Stansted Electric 24 Plumbing & Harpers Plumbing & Heating OBC Estate Agent Murdochs IBC Heating JDW Gas Heating Specialist 24 Financial Mansell & Co Accountants IBC Jones (Plumbing & Heating) 24 Furniture & DT Bedroom & Kitchen Designs IFC M Lloyd and Son 24 Restoration Furniture by Design 34 Newman’s Home Services 24 Peter Worby Antiques Restoration 34 Orion Heating 24 Fitness Flexible Strength 4 P Knight Plumbing 24 Back to Basics (Pilates) 4 Stansted Gas Services 24 CJ Fitness 4 Printing Chogou Printing & Embroidery 12 Stansted Yoga Lounge 4 CZ Design & Print 10 Food & Drink Hadham Brewery OBC Property Do-It-4U 32 Lams Chinese Takeaway IBC Maintenance Fairweather Windows IFC Mayflower Chinese Takeaway IBC Finch and Son OBC The Dog & Duck 28 Herts & Essex Window Doctor 32 Garden Alsa Wood Farm 6 Retailers Paris Legore (Flowers & Gifts) IFC Services D Honour & Son (Landscapes) OBC Squires (Gifts, Plants and Cards) IBC Including Illuminating Gardens 30 Soft Furnishings Neil Smith Interiors 18 Christmas Trees Gill Owen & Colin Frost 28 & Sewing Stort Blinds IFC Greenscroft Fencing 30 Teach me to Sew 12 Langthorns Plantery 28 Sport & Leisure Golf World IFC Mowtivated 28 Stansted Social Club 10 The Secret Gardener 28 Tree Surgeons All Aspects Tree Services 28 Funeral Daniel Robinson & Sons 26 Tree Management Company 28 Services J Day & Son (Stonemason) 26 Uppercut Trees 28 40 Estate Agents are NOT all the same. 01279 813 318 1 Station Road, Stansted, CM24 8BE Email: [email protected] www.murdochsestateagents.co.uk

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